Created To Worship

Let my soul live that it may praise You, And let Your ordinances help me. Psalms‬ ‭119.175‬ ‭AMP‬‬

For the person who doesn’t know or profess Christ, the question they must inevitably answer is “who am I? What/who am I accountable to? What’s my purpose? And why was I created?”

But for the believer in Christ, these questions have already been answered.

Yet, regardless of what or who we believe, each of us innately worships something or someone because we were created to worship.

No, not necessarily in the sense of a formal religion or practice, but we each worship through our devotion and lifestyle.

What Is Worship And Why Is It That Way?

Worship is a lifestyle — it’s what we devote or give ourselves to, intentionally or otherwise. This is not in the sense of a vocation or calling per se, but what we devote our essence, trust, heart, or inner being to.

It’s often said that what willfully consumes your thoughts is your god — or in other words what you think about and long after the most (our pleasures and desires).

When God created us, He designed us for worship and praise. Just as our physical bodies innately long to be filled with food and nutrients, so does our spirit long to be fulfilled with worship through what we pursue and attach ourselves to.

When Worship Is Misplaced

God knows that we will always worship someone or something because we were created for it. Sometimes it’s formal religion, an object, a system, a culture, or attribute (fame).

Because we’re wired for worship, we will always have this place inside of us that only God can truly fit into and satisfy. Yet, it doesn’t stop us from trying to fill it ourselves.

He told the Israelites that they [and consequently us] were to have no other gods [with a little “g”] besides Him (Deuteronomy 5.7).

Jesus doubles down on this by warning us about trying to serve multiple masters, or in other words, worshipping (pursuing) other things (gods) for our life’s [ultimate] purpose and pleasure (Matthew 6.24).

It’s not that we can’t enjoy the things that God created or have a passion for something that we feel called to. But it’s the act of elevating the created thing over the Creator of all things that displaces our worship to the Father.

Knowing Why You’re Here

The psalmist David knew why he was born and his ultimate purpose here. He implores God in their conversation to let him live so that his life can continue to exist as a praise to God (Psalms‬ ‭119.175‬).

Like David, we as children of God exist to give Him our praise and worship through our lifestyle and posture of heart [and of course our practical actions that follow].

Worship With God’s Help

Notice how David also asks for and welcomes God’s help in living this lifestyle of worship to Him: “And let Your ordinances help me.”

Ordinances are words of life. They reveal God’s will and His understanding of what it means to do good, seek justice, and correct oppression. (Source: Bible Study Tools)

Yes, believe it or not, we actually need God’s help in order to live for Him. There’s no such thing as you or me living “good enough” to impress or win God over.

Nor is there such a thing as me getting myself “together” so that I can get right or “get back right with God.” We need Him in order to live for Him.

Living For Him With Him

God’s ordinances and words of life posture us to live for Him — the worship we were created for (Isaiah 43.7).

Following His words of life and directions don’t make or qualify us [in our own doing] to live for Him — His words of life and direction are the whole reason why we can live for Him [successfully].

How interesting and dope is it that God gives us words of life FOR life?

It’s not something we have to “figure out” — our purpose in His Glory. His Glory in our vocation, passion, and all of the things we do in this life.

We just have to respond in obedience with our will.

Image by By Josué Ribeiro.