How To Worship A King

I've been reading a new book entitled, How To Worship A King (by Zach Nease). Here in America, we really have no concept of a monarchy. Our nation was formed when we rebelled against the monarchy of England, and we have never looked back since. But, since our sermon series has been Kingdom Seekers, it is obvious we live in a kingdom and therefore, we have a king.  And not just any king. We serve and worship the King of Kings!  So, how do we worship a king? There are two aspects of God's character we must understand if we are to correctly worship our King. One, He is love, and two, He is Holy. When we look at these two characteristics, they seem like polar opposites. Let's examine the two.

God is Love:
One of Jesus' favorite topics was His Father. In the Old Testament, God was pretty scary. Plagues and fire, smoke and thunder, they gave an image of God that most feared. But Jesus introduces us to a God who loves, a God who is approachable. Paul tells us in the book of Romans that God is "Abba Father" which means daddy God.  It gives us the image of a child running and jumping on the lap of God. And that is His character.  He is loving, patient, kind, tender, gentle.  The whole reason He sent His son was so we could be reunited with Him. In our worship today, we sing songs about His great love. We sing "Your Love Never Fails" and "How He Loves". We sing how His love "chases us down, fights till I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine." I am so thankful for a God who desires us to be near and who loves us so deeply.

But as we run and jump on daddy's lap, we must never forget whose lap we are jumping on. Our approachable, loveable God is also holy. So holy that people were instructed to not set foot on the mountain of Sinai when He was there.  So holy that people died when they touched the Ark of the Covenant. So holy that the ground opened up and swallowed and entire clan when they took His holy things. Now that is quite a different picture. All of a sudden, God seems less approachable.

But He is approachable and holy at the same time.  So in our worship of this great King, we should worship with reckless abandon and holy awe.  The two don't seem to mix, but they do, no, they must. John 4:24 tell us that God is looking for people who worship Him in spirit and in truth. It may seem like an unattainable balance, but we do it all the time. I have no fear of working with electricity. I can work in a main panel or change an outlet, but I best not forget what I'm working with. When I do forget, I get a not so subtle reminder that I am dealing with real power. I have no fear of running a table saw, but the minute I forget the power behind that spinning blade, I may lose a finger or two.

It takes practice to worship a king. We love and embrace Him, but we reverently respect Him. He is worthy of both. He desires our reckless love of Him and our reverential fear. When I worship the holiness of God, I fall more deeply in love with Him.  When I bask in the love of God, I am more in awe of His holiness. If you want to take your worship to the next level, approach God with both images in your mind.  And that is how you worship a King.

Pastor Dale