Practicing Worship and the Presence of God

Worship is:

acknowledging that I am a dependant creature who ultimately depends on someone or something higher for my existence

telling God that we are specifically honoring Him and that He is worthy of our adoration, praise and ultimate submission

Job 1:20-21 (NLT)

    Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground before God. [21] He said, "I came naked from my mother's womb, and I will be stripped of everything when I die.  The Lord gave me everything I had, and the Lord has taken it away.  Praise the name of the Lord!"

1.  We praise God to remind to ourselves who God is and who we ultimately depend on.

2 Samuel 12:19-20 (NLT)

    But when David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. "Is the baby dead?" he asked.  "Yes," they replied. [20] Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. Then he went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and ate.

Praise relocates where we are and who we are in the context of the greatness, the glory, the faithfulness and love of a mighty God.

We can reshape our emotions before God by choosing to express our desires and hearts to God

2.  Make checking back with God throughout the day with greater frequency into our daily rhythm

Psalm 105:4 (NIV) 

    Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.

The key to closeness with God is not changing what we do, but in changing our attitude toward what we do.

Pray shorter conversational prayers continually throughout the day, rather than trying to pray long sessions of complex prayers.

Connecting with God, the way David did it, requires practice 

Psalm 16:8 (NIV) 

    I have set the Lord always before me.  Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Psalm 25:15 (NLT) 

        My eyes are always looking to the Lord for help, for he alone can rescue me from the traps of my enemies.

Reflect deeper on God’s faithfulness and express detailed expressions of His goodness back to Him.

3.  Praise connects time and eternity