Loving God through Worship

Pastor Dan Walker, PhD, MDiv

Introduction

Today, we begin a new message series called “Four Priorities for Life.” Life in the 21st century is busy, and we all have to keep a lot of plates spinning. Most of us are responsible for ourselves, our families, our homes, our work, and our church, and each of those responsibilities has many components that take our time and energy every day.

Not only are we busy in the 21st century, but we also have an unprecedented number of distractions in life that can keep us from fulfilling our responsibilities. Never before in the history of mankind have we had the ability to connect with basically unlimited information and entertainment at the click of a button, whether on the internet, via direct access television, or on our smartphones. It is estimated that by 2017, 70% of the world’s population, 5 billion people, will have a mobile phone, representing unprecedented communication opportunity and unprecedented distraction possibility.

With so many distractions, many people are living unfocused lives and are unsure of what they should be prioritizing. God’s Word has a great deal to say about what our priorities in life ought to be in order to be successful in God’s eyes. We are reminded that none of us has an unlimited amount of time to accomplish what God desires for us to do.

Psalm 90:12 (NIV) Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

God wants us to understand our limited lifespans and to prioritize our lives with godly wisdom so that we can complete the tasks He has prepared for us. Life is not about pleasing ourselves; it is about pleasing our Creator and doing the things He created us to do. When we live this way, we enjoy this life and prepare for an incredible eternity.

In this series, we are talking about Four Priorities for Life, each one being something God wants us to love and pursue with all our hearts. Today, we begin with Loving God, because for the believer, God is to be our number one priority. When we confess that Jesus is Lord, we acknowledge that He has first place in every aspect of our lives.

I have entitled today’s message “Loving God through Worship.” Love is not just an emotion; love is a choice to please and obey God in every way. One of the most important ways we express our love for God is through worship.

Deuteronomy 6:5 (NIV) Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Worship is an expression of reverence, of bowing before God, and of honoring Him. Worship is not limited to singing songs on Sundays, but it is meant to be a daily expression of our love for God. Today, we will learn what worship is and how we can express our love for God through worship by looking at Psalm 116.

Remember God’s Deliverance

The first key to loving God through worship is to remember what God has done for you in the past. Only believers can truly worship God, and God has given every believer a great deliverance. At one time, every believer was in great need and unable to rescue themselves.

You Were in Great Need

Psalm 116:3–4 (NIV) The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the LORD: “O LORD, save me!”

The psalmist had been facing a life-threatening danger that was far beyond his ability to handle. He was overcome with trouble and sorrow, and there appeared to be no hope for his situation. He recognized that without divine intervention, he would not survive.

Some people never fully recognize their need for God, but the psalmist clearly understood his condition. In his distress, he called on the Lord to save him. This cry for help was the turning point in his story.

God Saved You

Psalm 116:5–6 (NLT) How kind the LORD is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! The LORD protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me.

When the psalmist called on the Lord, the Lord responded and saved him in his moment of greatest need. God honored the psalmist’s childlike faith and protected him from certain death. As a result, the psalmist praises God for His kindness, goodness, and mercy.

In this psalm, the writer is intentionally remembering God’s past deliverance. Remembering what God has done is foundational to worship. Gratitude grows when we reflect on God’s saving work in our lives.

Remembering Your Own Deliverance

Some of us have experienced moments when our lives were physically in danger and God intervened. Our son Joel stopped breathing at birth, and only God’s intervention saved him from brain damage or death. Others may never have had a close brush with physical death.

However, the Bible teaches that every person is born entangled in sin, and that sin ultimately leads to eternal separation from God. When we call on the name of the Lord Jesus and place our childlike faith in Him, He saves us, forgives our sins, and gives us eternal life. Every believer has a great deliverance to remember, and that remembrance leads us naturally into worship.

Worship God Personally

When we are saved, God desires for us to enter into a lifestyle of worship. This is a life of walking closely with God and learning to worship Him personally throughout each day. One of the foundations of worship is a clear understanding of what Jesus has done for us.

Express Your Love for God

Psalm 116:1–2 (NIV) I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.

The Bible tells us that we love the Lord because He first loved us. The psalmist expresses his worship by affirming his love for God, rooted in the fact that God heard his prayers and delivered him. Because of this relationship, he commits himself to calling on the Lord for the rest of his life.

Our personal worship is grounded in what God has already done for us. When we remember His faithfulness in the past, it fuels our love, trust, and dependence on Him in the present. Worship flows naturally from gratitude and remembrance.

Reflect on God’s Goodness

Psalm 116:7 (NIV) Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.

Worship brings us into a place of rest and peace before the Lord. When we worship, we quiet our souls and remind ourselves of God’s goodness and faithfulness. The presence of God brings assurance and calm, even in uncertain circumstances.

No matter what happens in life, God is good all the time. We must be careful not to blame God for what Satan has done or for the brokenness of the world. True worship reflects intentionally on the goodness of God, regardless of circumstances.

Thank the Lord for Deliverance

Psalm 116:8–9 (NIV) For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

Worship is always directed toward the Lord Himself. Here, the psalmist personally thanks God for delivering him from death, sorrow, and falling away. Gratitude is a natural and essential expression of worship.

God delivers us for a purpose, not simply for our comfort. His desire is that we would walk with Him throughout our lives, living faithfully and obediently before Him. Worship acknowledges God’s saving work and responds with a committed life.

Personal worship is the foundation of a believer’s life. We should develop the habit of meeting with God daily in a specific time and place to worship Him. In those moments, we express our love, reflect on His goodness, and thank Him for all He has done.

Beyond set times of worship, God desires that we dwell in His presence throughout the day. We do this by staying in constant communication with Him, praying as we go to work, thanking Him for our jobs, and praising Him for our families. Everything we do can become an act of worship.

Worship God Corporately

The psalmist asks an important question that leads us into the idea of corporate worship. Worship is not meant to be only private, but also shared with the people of God. God calls His people to gather together and worship Him publicly.

Psalm 116:12 (NIV) How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?

We can never fully repay the Lord for all He has done for us. However, our lives should be lived for His glory rather than for ourselves. One way we honor Him is by worshipping corporately with other believers.

Bring Your Offering to God

Psalm 116:17 (NIV) I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD.

The thank offering was given publicly to express gratitude for God’s deliverance and blessing. The psalmist commits to worshipping God openly and unashamedly before others. Public worship glorifies God and encourages the faith of others.

Our offerings also support the work of God on earth. Through giving, we participate in what God is doing in and through the church. Corporate worship involves generosity, testimony, and visible devotion to the Lord.

Keep Your Promises to God

Psalm 116:18–19 (NIV) I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the LORD— in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD.

Corporate worship involves faithfulness and integrity before God and His people. The psalmist speaks of fulfilling his vows publicly, demonstrating commitment and obedience. Worship is expressed through keeping promises and serving God among His people.

Corporate worship is vital to spiritual growth. It strengthens our faith, unites the church, and brings glory to God. Worshipping together reminds us that we are part of something larger than ourselves.

We love God through corporate worship by coming prepared to meet with Him on Sundays. We worship through giving our tithes and offerings, through prayer, through singing, and through engaging our whole being. Worship is about pleasing God, not worrying about what others may think.

Conclusion

Is loving God through worship a priority in your life? We grow in worship by remembering what God has done for us and by spending time in His presence each day. Personal worship prepares us to worship together as a church.

As we grow in worship, we become more like the One we worship. Worship positions us to receive God’s blessing and draws us closer to Jesus Christ. A life of worship deepens our relationship with God and reflects our love for Him.

📘 Continue the Journey

Reflect deeper and apply this week’s message with the Message Study Guide — perfect for personal devotions, family discussion, or your Life Group.

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