What is Worship?

I do not really intend to pick on the poor preacher, but he did bring up a good example in his sermon, though I will apply the example differently. He related a tale of watching a recent concert tour of Paul McCartney at home and marveled at how the crowd reacted to him. He observed this for a time and concluded it was "good worship" (but of "an inadequate object"). He further went on to state that church should be like that, because instead of meeting Paul McCartney we are meeting God. I have to say this is the attitude I have run into when people talk about worship. They think about an excited time of singing, dancing, and "good times". But what about those people who watched the concert at home, quietly, in their chairs, not dancing, not cheering, not making a ruckus? Were they enjoying the concert any less? What about those of us who are not the concert goers? Are we to be banned from worship? What about Job? He worshipped God after Satan took everything but his life and his nagging wife away from him. You cannot tell me Job was exuberant in his worship; Job shaved his head, tore his clothes, bowed down and worshipped God in silence for seven days(Job 1:20, 2:13)!

Worship is not comprised of one action, or even one type of action. Worship is more generic than that. We can worship God in our singing, but we can also worship Him in our giving, in our service, in our prayers, in Communion, in listening to sermons, in loving our families, in many ways. I wish I could say I have a good grasp on worship. I wish I could put my finger on the core issue(s), innumerate and define them, and then practice and teach them. I am still learning. I'm learning how to worship God "in spirit and in truth" but one thing I know for certain, it is more than just the singing time on Sunday mornings, and it is more than just singing. One day I hope to understand Job, to understand what it was he did to worship God in that great and terrible adversity. One day I hope to be able to do the same, though I pray will never have the need.