Worship: The Highest Calling

One of the most often-quoted passages of Scripture is at the end of Luke 10, when Jesus is invited to the home of Mary and Martha. Martha is busy serving Him, but Mary chooses to sit at His feet, love Him, and worship Him. And Jesus says, “One thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part” (Luke 10:42 NKJV).

So what is the one thing that Jesus values above everything else? To love Him, and to worship Him. I recently heard someone say that Martha was trying to host Him well, but Mary realized that Jesus was the host.

Jeremiah 32:39 says, “I will give them one heart and one purpose: to worship Me forever.” Worship is the highest calling, and it is what we were created to do. So when we worship, we’re stepping into our calling, our purpose, and the only thing that will ever fulfill us.

Maybe you’re thinking, “But worship is too easy. I need to actually do something with my life.” I remember the day that the Lord said to me: “Makayla, you think that I have a lot of friends, but you would be surprised at how few I really have. You can accomplish more by ministering to my heart than by ministering to the world.”

You see, worship is an open door into the very heart of Jesus, where He shares His thoughts, feelings, and desires. And in that place, He gives us assignments – assignments born not from ambition but from His heart.

Or maybe you’re thinking, “Worship is too hard. I get distracted, and I don’t see the point of sitting in a room and loving Him.” But the Bible says that we were created to worship, so worship must be the easiest thing in the world to do. So practically, how do we worship Jesus?

Psalm 46:10 gives us the key. It says, “Be still and know that I am God.”

“Be still.” Go be alone with Jesus, and simply sit still. You will never find Him in the busyness of life until you have first found Him in the stillness, in the quiet places. Elijah did not find Him in the wind or the fire but in the still, small voice. You will never find Him in the doing until you have first found Him in the being.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Once you are still, just begin to love Him. Close your eyes and set your heart on Him. You can think about Him, you can say His name, you can talk to Him, but often the best thing to do is to simply let your heart rise in love for Him – and just BE there with Him. Enjoy His nearness. Let your heart commune with Him in that place where words are unnecessary. There is no need to do anything else. There is no need for worship music – unless He wants it. There is no need to read books and write journal entries and listen to our favorite speakers. The only thing that is needed is to sit at His feet and love Him.

This is worship. To be still and know Him. And this is why we were created – to love Him forever.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.