These few verses describe worship familiar yet distant ways. By observing three words you can gain a fuller picture of what it means to worship God with greater intensity.
TRUST:
The psalmist penned this word to point to God’s complete control over all of life. Since God is sovereign over all things you can trust him in every life circumstance you encounter. God promises to provide and protect those who trust in him. In a world that seldom holds promises and little can be trusted, God calls you to trust in him.
Can you envision trusting someone who is completely faithful?
Hebrews 13:5 “be content with what you have, for he himself said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’.”
DELIGHT:
Many people view a relationship with God as a simple past decision they made, lacking joy and passion. Such a decision minimizes the intimacy and ongoing relationship a believer has with God. Trust in God calls for enjoyment in him as completely satisfying in all of life. Realizing this truth, the believer should intensify his or her pursuit for God. As an athletic fanatic or empty entertainment seeker, a believer should find extreme delight in God.
Commenting on this verse, John Piper says, “The great hindrance to worship is not that we are pleasure-seeking people, but that we are willing to settle for such pitiful pleasures… Being satisfied with all God is for us in Jesus is the essence of the authentic experience of worship.”[1] Worship is the most important thing you will do and we must have the right object of worship rather than satisfying ourselves with things of lesser value than an eternal God.
Can you envision delighting in someone that overflows with satisfaction?
Psalm 16:11 “In your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
COMMIT:
The word literally means to roll in or to lay wallowing. In other words, the psalmist calls you to go all in when it comes to trusting in God. Half-heartedness and lazy discipline are contradictions when it comes to following Jesus. God is looking for passionate, white-hot worshipers.
Can you envision committing to someone that inspires faithfulness without drudgery?
Luke 9:23-24 “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it."
1 John 5:3-4 "This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world."
[1] The Dangerous Duty of Delight, p. 55-56.
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