Now that I have finished SEITE for the year I have been able to get back to reading out of choice rather than out of necessity. I have returned to Frost’s Exiles which is resonating with me in so many different ways.

Towards the end of the book, Frost starts to look at the question of our purpose in life and he convincingly argues that our purpose is to bring pleasure to God. This another way of saying we glorify God.

He asks the question further, and this is where I find myself, ‘why is it that so many worship pastors suggest that the primary way we give God pleasure is through sung worship?’ Those of you who have read my posts in the past will recognise me questioning on this matter.

Frost suggests we glorify God in 4 ways:
through adoration – public worship, sung or otherwise
appreciation – through admiration and respect as we venerate God in our imaginations
affection – to take delight in and love God
subjection – we dedicate ourselves to serve God

So … I am not knocking sung worship, but I am questioning our attitude that seems to imply this is the only way to worship, because surely worship must be much bigger than singing a few songs every time we get together.

Eric Liddle (Chariots of Fire fame) said:

I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run, I feel his pleasure’

As Eric ran, as he felt God’s pleasure – was this not an act of worship?
Surely this is what worship in our everyday existence means.
Worshipping God in our meetings.
Worshipping God while we travel to work.
Worshipping God as we protest for justice.
Worshipping God as we drink and eat with friends.
Maybe this what is meant by our whole lives being worship – that everything we do, we acknowledge and give glory to God, saying ‘God … I’m doing this for you.’