The word “worship” in English originates from the Old English word “weorþscipe”, which means worthiness or worth-ship. It signifies the act of recognizing and declaring something’s value or worth, often in a religious context.
My AI friend told me this, and I didn’t check it further because I had heard this concept from a trusted source. Yesterday, as I was praying, for some reason I had this fleeting image pop into my head of bowing the knee to the devil. I made a sort of connection that I’m still chewing on…
Humans are PRE-BUILT (prove me wrong) to appreciate when a sacrifice is made or an unselfish deed is done, and to applaud the efforts—literally! We are also pre-built to disdain selfish acts, and as far as I can tell, would never look at someone who is acting in their own self-interest as worthy of accolades. Why is that??? Clearly, it is because our natural inclination takes no effort, resolve, self-denial, love, how many more fruits could I list here?!? It is also because we intrinsically know that self-interest is the way the world becomes a worse and worse place, and the only antidote to this is God’s ways–summarized by “self-sacrifice.”
Adam and Eve committed the first LIE in the garden of Eden by bowing the knee to the devil and his ways. Whether they did so for just a second or more makes no difference. They lied by calling the devil worthy of honor. If I but bowed the knee to the devil for one second, that is infinitely more than he is worthy of! He has never, so far as I can tell, ever done ANYTHING unselfish, loving, giving, etc, so he is worthy of exactly ZERO praise or recognition.
Adam and Eve committed a second LIE in the garden of Eden by ceasing to bow the knee to God and His ways. Whether they did so for just a second or more makes no difference. They lied by saying the Lord is not worthy of ALL honor. If I bow the knee to the Lord for every second of my existence but one, I am saying that the Lord isn’t TOTALLY WORTHY. How can one back up the claim that the LORD has ever acted in self-interest, without love, etc? He GAVE of himself at Creation, at the Cross, throughout the present, and has never, as far as I can tell, ever acted in a self-interested manner. If we laud a mother for getting up in the middle of the night to give of herself, how much more should we be constant in WORSHIP of the One who has always and is always giving of Himself?!?
Let’s let this sink in, if we bow to the devil or his ways for even a moment, we are allowing him to indulge in a lie–that he is worthy of it! YUCK!
Clearly, the one most deserving of ALL worship is the One who gave His all for others. Since that moment in the garden (or when the devil bowed the knee to himself instead of God), God has been receiving less than the infinite worship that He deserves…even by the human race’s own accounting system!
In like fashion, God is gracious about this fact, as a perfectly selfless, righteous Person would be….