(Photo by Selma Komisky)

By Brittney Perez

If I were to ask you what a typical church service looked like, you would probably say something like this: it typically starts with worship or singing and praising God, the taking up of offerings, announcements of what is happening/upcoming events in the church that week, followed by the study or sermon, and ends with worship. In most evangelical churches across America that is usually the layout of a church service, give or take a few variations. Ever heard a pastor or someone say that worship isn’t just about praising God through song, but it’s also about how you live? How do we go about doing this?

This last week I had a worship song stuck in my head. It’s called “On The Altar” by the worship group UPPERROOM. You may have heard of them or this song (they’re a popular worship group in the Christian community), but I first heard this song at a home Bible study and was in awe of the lyrics. For context here are some of the lyrics that stood out to me:

Oh I will live on the altar/

Oh, you are worth what You asked for/

If You’re searching for a heart as Your reward/

I am Yours/

I want to be the oil/

I want to be the sacrifice/

I want to be a laid down lover all my life

When I think about the lyrics of this song, I’m reminded of what it means to live your life as an offering in worship to God. Living your life for God is an act of worship. Worship essentially means to give reverence to something; it’s an action. When we seek to live our lives for God that looks like following Him. There is a difference between being an admirer of Jesus and a follower of Jesus. It’s not just telling Jesus you love Him, it’s living your life as a response to that love.

So what does this practically look like? Living a life of worship looks like spending time with God. Spending time with God means that you are seeking to know Him. Just like a friendship or any relationship, you would have; if you don’t spend time with that person, do you know them? You could say that you know them, but if you are not actively keeping in contact you wouldn’t know what is going on in their lives on the regular. Same with God. If you aren’t actively spending time with Him in His Word, through prayer, or in a community of other believers (church), how do you stay connected with Him? How would you know what He is trying to communicate to you?

I love this lyric in the song that I referenced, “You are worth what You asked for.” God is worthy to be worshipped. He is worthy to be followed. He wants us to love Him with our whole being. He paid the ultimate price for our sins – His Son, Jesus. May we be actively seeking to give to Him what He deserves – a life of worship to Him, for He is worthy.