The Heart of Worship

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:33–36)

As we begin a New Year, let’s make it a year of worship, a year of exalting Jesus Christ, our Lord, and God.

In this passage, Paul comes to the end of eleven chapters in Romans. He has systematically built a theological foundation for his readers. In Romans 1–3, we learn that everyone is guilty before a righteous God. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 KJV)

In Romans 4–5, we learn God’s remedy for sin’s curse: justification through faith in Christ. “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:19 KJV)

In chapters 6–8, we learn the principles for victorious Christian living. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”  (Rom 8:31 NKJV)

In chapters 9–11, we’re brought face to face with the justice & mercy of God as we see how He deals with both Jews and Gentiles. For He says to Moses, “I Will Have Mercy On Whomever I Will Have Mercy, And I Will Have Compassion On Whomever I Will Have Compassion.”  (Rom 9:15 NKJV)

When Paul finished verse 32, overwhelmed by everything revealed to him, he worshiped. He didn’t see any difference between theology and doxology. To him, the great doctrines of God weren’t subjects for a library or monastery. Theology was the fuel for the fire of his soul. He was like a traveler who had climbed up to the top of a mountain, and, looking at all the area he had traversed, he paused for worship.

Worship is getting caught up in the things we know about God. You can never get your arms around God. If you could, He wouldn’t be God. You learn what you can about Him, which causes you to step back in awe.

Paul says at the end of verse 36: “To whom [God] be glory forever. Amen.” Sometimes we need to fall down and say, “God, You’re so wonderful! I don’t even know how to pray. Lord, You’re so incredible; I don’t even know what to say. You’re so vast; I don’t know how to comprehend it.” As God’s people, this should be our desire to give glory to the One who is so wonderful. That’s our desire for this new year of 2022 and the rest of life. When you come to know the greatness of God, it changes everything about your life. All you want to do is bring glory to Him, to say: “Then sings my soul My Savior God to Thee, ‘How great Thou art, how great Thou art!’ “

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