Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship.
A discussion question for my book club this week is: "Do you struggle with the concept of worship in everything? In what ways are you beginning to see your living as worship?"
I used to struggle with this concept a lot. I used to think that I needed to spend more time worshipping or serving or doing "spiritual" things (which I thought involved a lot of effort on my part). In reality as Emily P. Freeman puts it so beautifully, "When the Spirit of the living God lives inside of you, then your living is also your worship. What else would it be?"
"Worship" and "service" are not switches that I need to turn on more often; they should be happening all the time - as I go about living.
But practically, what does that look like?
I'm still learning. Learning to live in the reality that Jesus is with me every moment of the day, not just when I pray or have a Bible in my hands, or when I'm in a church building on Sunday. So that means when I'm washing that mountain of dishes, I can talk to Him about the Sunday School lesson I need to prepare or about what a friend might need...or just about the day. It means that when I tip my head up at night to look at the stars, I can thank Him for the dazzling display as if He's right there beside me. It means that when every little thing seems to be going awry, I can simply ask Him for help - not in a formal sort of way, but in a spontaneous, heart-felt cry.
And that mountain of dishes? If I'm walking in the Spirit, that is an act of service - to Him. The simple "thank You for letting me see these stars tonight" - worship. The walk through the woods where I enjoy His creation - worship. Listening to the sounds of birds outside the window? Sweeping the floors? Baking cookies? Worship. Serving. Living.
How about you? What practical ways are you learning to see living as worship? And if you're willing, would you leave a comment to share your thoughts?
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