Worship isn’t exclusive to Sunday mornings or private prayer.
Showing reverence or admiration for anyone or anything eventually provokes an attitude which surrenders attention, personal pleasure or profit to that particular object of devotion.
In his letter to all who [were] beloved of God in Rome, called [as] saints, the apostle Paul encouraged them to engage in a particular kind of worship:
“Therefore, I urge you, brethren, through the mercies of God, to present your bodies [a] living [and] holy sacrifice, acceptable to God—your rational worship [or service]. And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, for the purpose of proving what [is] the will of God—the good and acceptable and perfect.” [Rom. 12: 1-2] [my emphasis]
So, have you ever wondered what “rational worship” is?
I used to worship all kinds of different things and people. In the process, I sacrificed [or presented] my body for whatever I considered to be good and acceptable. In doing so, I attempted to demonstrate the will of whatever or whoever my sacrifice was made to.
But what bothers me is that, in my mind, it was a rational exercise. It made sense to me.
And, I was obliged to be conformed to this age.
In the same way, Paul was imploring the readers in Rome to offer their bodies to God as something set apart [or holy] from the sinful influences of this age. This wasn’t a broad evangelical plea to lost souls. His letter was written to those he considered to be “saints,” meaning people the Lord had set apart from the world. They were already “saved.”
[What does “saved” mean? see: Different fruit, Same Good News. [1]]
Worshipping the Lord is action in service to the Lord. The number of ways we can do that would surely be infinite. But, even as one who’s already saved from sin by His grace, the transformation and renewing of my mind is an ongoing process. [Phil. 1:6]
The New Covenant sacrificial offering isn’t given with an attitude of obligation to fall in line with the letter of written law. It is, rather, offered up in a spirit of renewal, obedience and service.
I heard a wise man once say: “The renewed heart is a life transforming.”
Now that’s a rational statement.
“O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise. For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it. You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise..” [Psa. 51: 15-17]