why worship? - November 7-13, 2016

Hi Parents!
Have you ever asked why we worship?

​Psalm 96:4 (NRSV) says "For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above all gods."

• ​​Worship is the act of showing reverence or adoration to our God.  We can worship in a variety of ways, from observing quiet time in the morning to singing praises in the evening. 
• Worship can be the expression of personal thoughts in a direct conversation with God.  It can also be the prayers and praises of a community gathered in church. 
• Worship is also the personal relationship that children of God have with their heavenly Father.  It can be a time to pause for prayer, to dig into the word of God, or to learn more about God's knowledge of and love for each and every individual under the sun. 
• Above all, worship is reaching out to believers and non-believers alike in Jesus' name and spreading the word of God to all we meet.

​To love God with all our heart, soul, and strength, we worship daily.  If we love God, it means we can worship anywhere, any time.  The true expression of worship is acted out every time we choose to give God authority over our lives.  When we whisper a prayer of thanks, we worship.  When we honor our parents, we worship.  When we stick up for a kid being bullied, love those we think are unworthy, or use our gifts to do well in school, we worship.  It doesn't matter how loud our praise is when we honor God in the little things we do.
​"Worship is an it-is-well-with-my-soul experience." Robert Webber

Ask your teen...
How does worship help you to trust that, in God's hands, all will be well?
​When and where will you worship God this week?
​What has God blessed you with? Great conversation with a friend, the gift of playing the trumpet, the crisp October air?
​
​Prayer...
God, be present in the communities in which we worship, and fill us with the love of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

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