Oh, that my life would be one of worship! Father, draw me into Your presence, because there I find a reason to worship. You are holy and worthy and mighty and just and faithful and true. There is no one above You, no one beside You. You have no beginning and no end, for You ARE the alpha and omega, the aleph and the tav. You are the One who was and is and forever will be. The nations plot and foil and seek their own way, but You, Lord, reign over all as the Sovereign King of Kings!
We were created to worship. Nothing else will satisfy the longing of our hearts – to know and worship our Creator.
“Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young – a place near your altar” (Psalm 84:3, NIV).
Even the birds want to be close to their Creator! I want to be so close to God and so aware of His presence that I can always find a reason to worship.
On days when the car won’t start and a friend is hurting and I’m running late, I want to worship. On days when I’m worried about my kids and the bills are more than the bucks and someone near me is in need, I want to worship. When all my plans succeed and my prayers are answered and the healing comes, I want to worship. And when the plans go awry and the answer is no and the healing doesn’t come, I still want to worship.
In studying the Hebrew alphabet with my students, I was delighted to learn that the 10th letter, the yodh, was originally represented as a pictograph of the arm of God reaching down to us. The letter itself means both worship and work. The yodh is the first letter that we translate into Yahweh, literally “yodh-heh-vav-heh.” It’s the first letter in Yeshua (Jesus), Yerushalayim (Jerusalem, city of God), and Yisra’el (Israel, nation of God).
Each of these words shows us the hand of God reaching down to us through His Son, Jesus, and drawing us to worship Him. Out of our worship, we are led to work for Him.
Yodh also represents humility because it is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. I love how all of these meanings fit together. When I come humbly before Him and recognize that I am a sinner in need of His grace, He reaches down His hand through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, whose blood paid the price for my sin. I am humbled at His love and mercy towards me. I am drawn into His presence in worship. I am compelled to serve Him.
Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem formed from each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Verses 73-80 form the lines for yodh.
Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands. May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word. I know, O Lord, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me. May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight. May the arrogant be put to shame for wrongdoing me without cause; but I will meditate on your precepts. May those who fear you turn to me, those who understand your statutes. May my heart be blameless toward your decrees, that I may not be put to shame.
That is worship! When our hearts can trust in the One who formed us, no matter what! Worship is a lifestyle, an attitude of the heart, a song sung with our lives every day. Like the songbird, I want my heart to sing a melody to Jesus, even as I work to care for my young — just a permanent place at the altar of God, nested down in His goodness and grace.
What about you? What is leading your heart to worship God today?