Mar 16

Philippians 4:8
Memorise Psalm 138:2
“…think on these things.”

Why do we bother with worship in the church? Is it something that God needs from us? When we worship God, are we doing Him a favour? Is it something that God wants from us, but which doesn’t have any bearing on our spiritual lives?

We know that God has a purpose for everything, and worship is no exception. Philippians 4:8 tells us to think – to carefully consider – all things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy. When we think upon these things and allow them to fill and transform our minds, then our lives will in turn be changed. It is no coincidence that worship encourages us to obey what has been laid out for us in this verse, with the study of God’s Word being central to it all.

How exactly does the worship service help us to do what is required of us in Philippians 4:8? If there is any single object of contemplation that captures all the qualities listed in the verse, it would be the Word of God.

Consider the elements of worship. The apostle’s doctrine – God’s Word itself – comes to us through every aspect of the service. The hymns we sing are rich with doctrine. The prayers we offer follow the principles left for us in Scripture. The messages are drawn from the Bible, where God’s Word is clearly explained and expounded on. The Lord’s Supper makes us recall the fullness of Christ’s sacrifice, which is taught to us from the Bible. Even the act of coming together is based on our understanding of God’s Word that we are all part of the same body of Christ, and fellowship with each other because of the bond we share in Him.

If we participate in worship with full understanding, there is no aspect of it that does not make us consider the qualities outlined in Philippians 4:8. Knowing this, we ought to be convinced of the absolute necessity of worship – it is the channel through which we, as God’s people, receive innumerable spiritual blessings when we come before Him with all our thoughts firmly fixed upon His Word, and what it means to us.

Thought: What do I spend most of my time thinking of, and do these things possess the qualities listed in Philippians 4:8?
Prayer: Lord, help me to understand the richness of Thy Word, and help me to meditate upon it as I worship Thee.