Wow, this one rings so true.  As the local governments start shutting things down and churches stop holding services, we will find out real quick if we are spiritually in shape or not.  How do we hold on to our faith when we are not able to fellowship and worship with other believers? We get creative!  

First, we need to know what worship is according to the Bible.  After all, without others helping guide us through it, we may not actually know what it entails in totality.  The great thing about corporate worship is that it binds us together as the body of Christ and allows us to  experience worship together.  However, worship can be attained without your worship leader.  It is a different kind of worship, so let’s explore it. 

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
    let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
    let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
For the Lord is a great God,
    and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth;
    the heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
    and his hands formed the dry land.
Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
    let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!

Psalm 95:1-6 ESV

SINGING – When in doubt, sing God’s praises!  Turn on some worship music and sing your heart out! Grab a hymn book and sing those hymns out loud to God.  It doesn’t matter if you have a good voice or not.  The Psalm says to make a “joyful NOISE.”  This means that even if it sounds like noise to you, it sounds beautiful to the heavenly realms.  So sing it out like you’re rocking out to Bon Jovi in the shower! 

BOW DOWN AND KNEEL – Worship is all about acknowledging who God is.  He is above everyone and everything.  He created it all and is master of it all.  Worship is any expression that shows this. Bowing and kneeling shows that you are under God’s authority.  Just like a knight would bow or kneel before the king to show his allegiance, we do the same.  It is an outward expression that shows we know he is the authority over us.  When you take time to pray, spend some of it on your knees. 

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:14-17 ESV

LOVE AND PEACE – We are the body of Christ. Being a Christian is about having God’s love.  We are to show that to others both in action and in prayer. Our prayers should include others and not just be about ourselves.  As Christians, God gives us peace.  We know that all things are in his hands, including our souls.  So we need to let our actions show that we believe that.  Acknowledge to God that you know he is in control and that you place your life in his hands.  Be open to what he commands you to do and be willing to do it.  Not out of anger and fear, like Jonah, but with love, like Ruth.  

GIVE THANKS – Giving thanks is paramount to worship. It is very easy to incorporate into the time you spend praising God for who he is.  It is a natural flow to praise him and then thank him for all that he has done for you.  The Bible tells us to always have an attitude of thankfulness.  It keeps our perspective clear and keeps God in his rightful place in our lives, first. 

READ THE BIBLE – It seems silly to say this, but it is important!  We are to have God’s word in our hearts and minds.  Without a pastor to lead us through it, this may seem daunting.  But you can do it! During your worship time at home, take some time to read it.  Don’t know where to start?  Read one of your favorite accounts in the Bible or Google “Read the Bible in a Year.”  You can choose many devotionals on Bible apps and author websites. Make the decision and just go for it! 

DO EVERYTHING FOR JESUS – This is how we can worship God in every moment of every day.  Do whatever it is as if Jesus was the one you were doing it for.  The King of Kings is before you and your task is being done for him.  Do everything with that kind of fervor, kindness, love, persistence, and diligence. This shows your love and devotion to him.  It also shows others Jesus’ love.  When you are doing something for someone else, with the love and fervor that you would if you were doing it for Jesus, people notice. During this time of coronavirus crisis, you can really show God’s love for others.  Doing this is an act of worship because it shows you really do put God’s priorities first and that you understand he is the master of all things. 

So how will we respond to not being able to worship corporately?  Will we be able to keep our faith strong?  Or are we too dependent on others to bolster our faith?    Do we rely on our “trainers” (the worship leader and pastor) to keep us in shape? Or can we also work on our own, when needed, by keeping up with the routine?   Will we watch our pastor’s online sermon?  We will sing with the songs our praise teams put online? Will we take the extra step to make sure we are connecting with God? Corporate worship is great and true fellowship with other believers is paramount.  The Bible commands us to have both.  However, we also need to be able to worship on our own. When we are on our own, we know how strong we really are. 

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

John 4:23 ESV

How will you continue your worship when you are unable to join others in doing so?  Write down your ideas.

Make a list of what you are thankful for and pray that list to God.

Make a list of the attributes of God and praise him for those. The Psalms are great for getting started with this. 

Make a playlist of worship music and set a time to listen and sing to it.

Make a plan for reading your Bible.  What will you read and what time will you read it?

Pray

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