We have learned that worship to God should include everything we do. Our very breathing in and out is an expression of our worship and a testimony to God’s faithfulness in our lives. We also learned that praise is but one part of worship. Stated another way, while all acceptable praise is worship, not all worship is praise. Praise is that upward focus toward God. You may not even consider some of the things you do to be worship because they flow so naturally from your heart and mind and are almost unconsciously given to God. However, you are almost sure to know when you’re praising him. That’s because praise is direct and deliberate adoration. Praise is a choice.
I was in Salt Lake City a few years ago leading the music for a group of students on their mission trip. Every morning after our worship service, we would go out on buses and vans into the community to share our faith. One day as we were riding to our assigned area, everyone in the bus started singing praise songs. We sang and sang. The girl beside me was one of those Christians who had the “glow that shows.” Her smile was contagious. She kept smiling even while she was singing. At the end of one of our songs, she looked up at me and said an amazing thing. She said, “You know, I don’t sing very well.” She paused for a moment, the whole time maintaining that wonderful smile. Then she said, “But that’s OK with me, because I figure this: God made my voice. And since he made my voice, he must like to hear it.” Now her smile got even bigger and brighter. “So I’m just gonna sing as loud as I can!”
That girl made a choice to praise God with her voice. It didn’t matter to her if others thought she was “un-cool” or even fanatical. What motivated her to praise was nothing less than passionate love for and devotion to her Lord.
Luke 7:36-50 describes another woman who was motivated by a heart full of devotion. “...and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.” (v. 38). We can see in this passage how this was a deliberate act of praise. The woman outwardly expressed her love to Christ. “Do you see this woman?... her many sins have been forgiven -- for she loved much...” (vs. 44 & 47)
[taken from Pure Praise: A Heart-Focused Bible Study on Worship, Dwayne Moore, 27-28.]
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