How and What You Worship

My long-time favorite section in the Doctrine and Covenants is Section 93. In simple, yet profoundly deep words, Section 93 teaches how Jesus Christ grew from grace to grace. The section testified that the Savior received the Father’s fulness, that John received of the fullness, too, and invites all to follow their examples. The promised result is clear—”All who are faithful will see the Lord.”

The crux of the lesson revolves around a simple principle: understanding and knowing how and what you worship.

I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.

Alma told Korihor that “all things denote there is a God.”

The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.

Not only do “things” testify of God, but they testify of the kind of God God is.

 

How Do You Worship Him?

 

Consider your worship. Do repetitive, bleary-eyed prayers represent your worship of your Creator?

Psalmists celebrated prophecy and ritual, life and death, grace and justice. The recorded prayers of Hannah and Mary and Deborah extolled God’s greatness while remembering the one—her. The transfiguration experience caused Peter, basically speechless, to instinctively build altars. Moses fell to the earth recognizing his own nothingness. Abraham contemplated the planets and souls worshipping God. Enoch, astonished to see Heaven weep, wept, too.

 

Do You Know Who You Worship?

 

Therefore, in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation—

The light and the Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who came into the world, because the world was made by him, and in him was the life of men and the light of men.

The worlds were made by him; men were made by him; all things were made by him, and through him, and of him.

My worship falls flat compared to His majesty and grace. Yet He still accepts my puny offering of inept gratitude mingled with pride as I seek HIs sanctification of my soul.

 

“If the Stars Were Made to Worship, So Will I”

 

 

Last year, Christian artists Hillsong United released So Will I (100 Billion X).  The lyrics identified all my wide-eyed wonder as I contemplate the God I worship and invite me to purify my worship.

God of creation

There at the start

Before the beginning of time

With no point of reference

You spoke to the dark

And fleshed out the wonder of light.

And as You speak

A hundred billion galaxies are born

In the vapor of Your breath the planets form.

If the stars were made to worship, so will I.

I can see Your heart in everything You’ve made,

Every burning star A signal fire of grace.

If creation sings Your praises, so will I.

God of Your promise

You don’t speak in vain

No syllable empty or void

For once You have spoken

All nature and science

Follow the sound of Your voice.

And as You speak,

A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath

Evolving in pursuit of what You said.

If it all reveals Your nature, so will I.

I can see Your heart in everything You say,

Every painted sky

A canvas of Your grace.

If creation still obeys You, so will I.

If the stars were made to worship, so will I.

If the mountains bow in reverence, so will I.

If the oceans roar Your greatness, so will I.

For if everything exists to lift You high, so will I.

If the wind goes where You send it, so will I.

If the rocks cry out in silence, so will I.

If the sum of all our praises still falls shy,

Then we’ll sing again a hundred billion times.

God of salvation

You chased down my heart

Through all of my failure and pride.

On a hill You created,

The light of the world

Abandoned in darkness to die.

And as You speak,

A hundred billion failures disappear

Where You lost Your life so I could find it here.

If You left the grave behind You, so will I.

I can see Your heart in everything You’ve done

Every part designed in a work of art called love.

If You gladly chose surrender, so will I.

I can see Your heart

Eight billion different ways,

Every precious one

A child You died to save.

If You gave Your life to love them, so will I,

Like You would again a hundred billion times.

But what measure could amount to Your desire?

You’re the One who never leaves the one behind.