Articles
Worshipping with Loving Participation
Each week, many followers of Christ come together to worship God. Satan and his influence in the world will try to distract children of God from their individual and communal worship of God. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Since Jesus selflessly loved us, we should strive to be active participants in their loving worship of God.
One way believers accomplish this is by lifting up their fellow man especially the downtrodden and weak in spirit. Romans 15:1-4 reads, “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, ‘The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.’ For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
Through His death on the cross, Jesus Christ has given each person the hope of eternal salvation. He gave His life to become the debtor for our sins against God. He is the ultimate example of self-less love. In John 15:12-15, Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” Truthful obedience to Jesus’ commands is the way to eternal salvation because His love conquers all. Jesus tells His followers to reciprocate the love He had for mankind.
Romans 12:9-13 says, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” By glorifying God with scriptural loving worship, dwell on the beautiful change that would be brought to the world we all in live in. Ask yourself this question: how engaged are you in your worship to the Almighty God?
