True Worship

Many people believe that going to church is worship and it can be worship. One can also attend a church worship service and not worship God at all even though they go through the rituals. Private personal devotions can be either worship or an act of piety for its own sake. This is a very narrow concept of worship of God. So what constitutes true worship?

I like the broader found in the "Two Great Commandments" found in the Gospel according to Matthew chapter 22:37-39. Jesus said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." This is the greatest and first commandment, and the second is like it; "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." On these two commandments hang all the law and prophets.

Worshiping God is much richer than anything found in a worship service at a church. True worship of God involves our being in a relationship with God with every thing we have and are mind, body and spirit. To worship God means to have my whole being oriented toward God in my emotions, desires and activities at all times.

The true worship of God has two objects God and neighbor. When we love our neighbor we worship God indirectly. These two parts of worship are interrelated for you can not hate your neighbor and love God at the same time. When we truly worship God we live our whole lives in the presence of God. Every aspect of life even our most personal relationships are part of our loving God.