The Value of Worship
"True worship of God isn't the exercise of a religious ritual, but it is the reflection of a proper value judgement formed by man about God. I must honor the God who created me, and the Lord Jesus who redeemed me, when I ascribe the right value to Him and when I bring the full 'weight' of understanding and spiritual concern to my own times of worship. He's worthy of my praise, adoration, and exaltation.
How do I make my worship 'worthy'... substantial in quality? And what results from it when I do? In the New Testament 'worthy' or 'worth' occurs in the form of the Greek term 'axios.' The word axios basically refers to weight. In Bible times, people did business with coins that were minted to the exact amount of the precious metal which the coin declared to be its value. Those coins used in repeated exchange were subject to wear. Just in the passage from hand to hand, the coin would diminish in its 'worthiness.' Consequently, a handful of coins would be weighed to confirm their adequacy of value or to show their insufficiency. In other words, the face value imprinted on the coins was not necessarily a true statement as to its worth. The scales told the difference.
How do I prepare 'worthy worship?' Thank God there is a way! Whatever insufficiency exists in me as a result of being passed from hand to hand so to speak, like the coin worn by world wear, He is able to redeem - to re-evaluate - by His forgiveness! He takes the coin drained of 'worth' and mints it freshly by filling it with His Spirit. He brings a 'weight' of glory that develops people of real substance. And on today's worship money market, this kind of cash is in high demand and short supply.
Be reminted:
Worship the Father: Rise above the ritualistic and rejoice in the real.
Praise the Son: His resurrection power raises us to His level of triumph
Be filled with the Spirit: For that fullness brings weight to the life and a clear ring to the coin with your face on it
There is always value in worship, but the worthiness or quality of it has everything to do with whether or not there is continual re-evaluation and redemption happening in you. Make us a people of full value. 'Thou art worthy, oh Lord.'"
Ron Mehl