by Tim Hall

If any one concept could capture the essence of religion, it would likely be worship. Most will admit that "religion", according to God's word, is more than worship, but this event is certainly the most dynamic aspect of our faith. It is our opportunity to approach God in a powerful and life-transforming way. It is for good reasons that we seek to make our worship more personal and real.

Perhaps we can learn more about the experience of worship by looking at two towering figures of faith in the Old Testament, Abraham and Moses.

Abraham - Worship In All Life's Situations: In Genesis 22, God presented Abraham with one of the hardest demands given to any human being. Isaac was the son of whom Abraham and Sarah had dreamed for decades. Having to wait so long for his arrival only made their bond with him stronger. Now, however, God's command was confusing: "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you" (Genesis 22:2, NKJV).

What a long night that must have been as Abraham wrestled with the prospect of killing his own son! But "early in the morning" (v. 3) he arose and set off on the three-day journey to Moriah. When the site of the sacrifice was in view, Abraham told his servants, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship; and we will come back to you" (v. 5).

Here is a lesson about worship worth contemplating. Though God's order was hard and seemingly inconsistent with the Divine nature, Abraham obeyed. He did not tell his servants that he must "obey that command", or "go do his religious duty". Abraham's purpose was worship, humbling himself in the presence of the Almighty, though his soul probably considered rebellion. God is always worthy of our worship - even when we can't understand his will. We should imitate the example of this man of faith who said with his actions, "Your will, not mine, be done."

Moses - The Intent To Worship: "Please, show me Your glory," was the request Moses made of God (Exodus 33:18). Though humans are not capable of seeing the full glory of the Lord, Moses was given a glimpse. The account of God revealing Himself to Moses in Exodus 34:1-8 is dramatic as well as revealing of the nature of Jehovah.

When the Lord descended in the cloud to show His glory to Moses, the man was understandably overwhelmed. But note this statement in Exodus 34:8: "So Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped." Worship did not take place until Moses intended for it to be offered and then delivered it.

Our ideas of worship are often different. It is sometimes said that we worship God at all times, in everything we do. That's not the idea in this passage (nor in any other in the Bible). Instead, worship is something that is deliberately intended and then performed. Elsewhere (e.g. John 4:20-24) we learn that worship must be offered according to God's directions. But even when we act according to His pattern, is it worship if it does not arise from the intent to honor God and glorify his name? Mindless ritual has never been God's desire.

But, really, should we be looking back thousands of years to learn how to worship? According to God's word, it is appropriate (not to mention wise): "Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come" (1 Corinthians 10:11).