Sunday mornings, 1969, never late, usually early. Sunday School with the grandparents. Listening to the creaking of the old wooden floor and the familiarity of the hard church pews. Opening our hymnals to page 202a. Nothing changes, there’s a comfort in that.

Down to the basement we go for classes where we learn about Noah and the Great Flood, Adam and Eve, (it was always her fault, but I secretly thought Adam had a part in it).

Jonah and the Big Whale (this is before we were enlightened and told that it was just a Big Fish), and the Three Hebrew Children, which I could never pronounce and you can’t either. Someone always messes up Abednego and says A-BEND-ego…AAGGHHH!!!

My teacher was an angel; she literally floated on air even though she was a plump, grandmotherly angel. As far as I was concerned she could have walked on clouds. I believed she was my guardian angel.

We sang “Yes, Jesus Loves Me”, “He’s Still Workin’ On Me” and “I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart, Where?!”

We praised Jesus, thanking Him for what He had done for us that week. I was taught to pray over my family and added that to my “Now I lay me down to sleep…” prayer.

I loved it all.

I was safe.

I grew up, I was baptized, received the infilling of His Spirit! Christ in me, the hope of Glory! And I realized there was more than just praising God.

I discovered worship.

We were made to worship but not the things of this world. We were created for HIS purpose: “…everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” Isaiah 43:7.

There is a difference in praising God and worshiping Him.

Praise is thanking God for what He has done for you.

Worship is giving Him praise for Who He is!

Halal is the root word for praise and obviously the root of our word “hallelujah”. Its meaning is to “shine, boast, celebrate and to be clamorously foolish”. The literal translation is to “spin like a top”!

King David was clamorously foolish and didn’t care who saw him! “And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams’ horns.” 2 Samuel 6:14-16 NLT.

Anyone can praise the Lord…but real worship, worship from the heart, comes from a relationship with the Savior.

You must know Him.

“Shachah”, in the Hebrew is to “bow down” or “fall prostrate”.

When we bow before Him and worship, acknowledging that it is all about Him, we become less and He becomes greater!

See, in worship it doesn’t matter what He has done, He doesn’t owe us anything. Of course we praise Him for the good things, and we should. But in worship we love Him regardless of what we get back in return.

I’ve grown up, I live to worship, it is my strength, my relationship depends upon it and I will not give this worship of my Savior to anyone else.

He alone is worthy.

Sharing with Sunday Stillness, Jumping Tandem,Matrimonial Monday, Playdates @ The Wellspring, Monday Praises, Monday Musings, Hear it on Sunday, Use it on Monday, Let Me Tell You A Story, Modest Monday, Sharing His Beauty