The Purpose of Worship

 “Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.”
Psalm 100:3 (NIV)

Do you realize that your worship helps you know God more?  

The Hebrew word “know” used in today’s verse does not mean to merely know someone or something intellectually. It means to know by experience. 

You might “know” about climbing Mt. Everest because you’ve seen a documentary. But it is an entirely different thing to “know” Mt. Everest because you’ve trekked eight days to Basecamp, trudged the freezing and treacherous terrain, and painstakingly climbed through the death zone. 

This kind of “knowing” comes from personally experiencing something. 

God created you and wants to share the kind of connection that only happens through walking each step together. Along the way, He also wants you to know Him—meaning you experience His friendship, close comfort, wisdom and character for yourself.

Psalm 100:3 says “Know that the LORD is God.” You can be confident that Your God is the true and only God. You are not worshiping “a” God who is distant or aloof. You can know, you can personally experience, that Your God is the only ruler and king. That assurance resolves doubt about His power or ability to work wonders in your life. 

This verse also challenges us about the God we worship. There is only one LORD that is God. You do not get to choose which version of God you prefer. This means learning who He says He is in His Word. Seek to know His values, what moves His heart, and respect the boundaries of what He says is harmful.

As you do this, you begin to know Him for who he is, not as someone or something you’ve heard about in a documentary or from a sermon series on Sunday. You begin to know Him as your God.

Worship the LORD. The closer you get to God the more you will experience Him, know Him and trust Him. When you know Him better, you will love Him more, listen to His instructions and do what He says. 

When you are consistently loving, trusting, and obeying God, you will experience the fulfillment, joy, and purpose that only He gives.

Prayer: Dear God, I want to experience You more fully each and every day of my life. As I worship You, help me to trust, obey, and experience You more and more. Show me any areas of sin in my life that are keeping me from fully experiencing You. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.