A Disciple Embodies a Lifestyle of Worship

Recently I came across a quote that really stopped me in my tracks. Do you ever have one of those days? A day in which you read something and God allows it to expand your mind? It was not something new, but for some reason on that day it really impacted my life. This quote was the title that came from one of James K.A. Smith’s books. James simply said, “You are what you love.”

What do you mean I am what I love? Really? I am what I love? I literally stopped and gave myself an inventory. What do I love? During my quiet time, I wrote that question down then I proceeded to write down all the things I love. It was amazing the things I wrote down that day.

Then something else came to the front. Kenny, Who do you love?

Lord, I love my wife, my kids, my church, my friends, to name a few. It is a simple exercise. 

Lord, I love ___________ [fill in the blank].

What appeared to be happening was a simple time to be reminded of the people I love. Thank you Lord for this time to remind me to put my priorities in place. Who do I love? Jesus, family, others. Yes, that’s it. Amen.

My mind was flooded with several scriptures:

“Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’” Matthew 22:37

“But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.” John 4:23

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Colossians 3:16

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42

“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.” Romans 12:1

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2a

God was lifting out of my heart what and whom I love.

• How have I been conformed to this age?

• What needs to be changed?

• How am I devoted like the early disciples?

• How is my mind or my attitude like that of Christ Jesus?

• Am I presenting my body as a living sacrifice to the Lord?

• Is Your Word dwelling in me?

• Do I sing with gratitude?

• Do I sing?

• Am I worshiping in spirit and in truth?

• Am I loving those around me?

James K.A. Smith continued,

“Worship is the arena in which God recalibrates our hearts, reforms our desires, and rehabituates our loves. Worship isn’t just something we do; it is where God does something to us. Worship is the heart of discipleship because it is the gymnasium in which God retrains our hearts.”

John Calvin was quoted saying, “The human heart is a perpetual idol factory.”  My heart is a perpetual idol factory. I don’t know about you, but worship is a lifestyle and it is for a lifetime. God was rehabituating by loves. God was recalibrating my heart. God was reforming my desire. God does a work in us and then we go out while God does a work through us. My worship moved from that quiet time into the spaces I live and breathe and move.

You see, a disciple embodies a lifestyle of worship. It’s more than just singing a few songs. It’s more than just sitting in silence. It’s more than clapping our hands. While those are good expressions, worship is the hub from which everything flows.

Read the following quotes from William Barclay in his commentary from Romans 12:1:

“We might say: ‘I am going to church to worship God’; but we should also be able to say: ‘I am going to the factory, the shop, the office, the school, the garage, the mine, the shipyard, the field, the cowshed, the garden, to worship God. Real worship is the offering of everyday life to him.”

You are what you love?

Why? Because You are becoming what you love.

A disciple embodies a lifestyle of worship.

This post originally appeared at: A Disciple Embodies a Lifestyle of Worship — The Bonhoeffer Project