why worship at all?

Question

my parents EARNED their respect and love. and ofcorse i talked back every kid does.

i believe in god but i sometimes ask myself why i should worship, i didn’t ask to be born. and if i created a colony of people i wouldn’t ask them to worship me, its selfish.

why does god as us to worship him? does he have a self-esteem problem?

Answer 1

There are lots of passages in the Bible that honestly trouble a lot of readers—passages where God kills people, punishes people, says things that seem intolerant, offensive, even selfish. Whenever a passage in the Bible rubs us the wrong way, it should give us pause, because the problem is not with the Bible, but with us.

What is it we don’t understand about God’s character that makes some of God’s actions seem so unfair? There is one simple truth that—once grasped—makes us see things as God sees them and unlocks a renewed understanding of God and God’s ways. One single passion drives God’s heart. That passion, as teachers like Augustine and Jonathan Edwards have helped us to see, is this: God’s primary concern in everything he does is to bring glory to himself.

God is chiefly concerned with his own fame. God is self-centered. Selfish, one might even say. If there's one thing we know from the Bible, it's that God is chiefly concerned with the honor of his name—just look at the prayer Jesus taught us to pray (Matthew 6:9-13). Before ever getting to us and our needs, we pray for God’s name to be honored, for God’s rule (kingdom) to be furthered and for God’s will to be done.

Even when God saves sinners from their sins—a supreme act of generosity—God insists that he's doing it for his own benefit more than for ours. Observe how God speaks of salvation in Isaiah 48:11: "For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another."

There can be no Greater Good than God by definition.

Think about it. If it is humanity’s highest purpose to glorify God, how can we expect God to have a lesser purpose? Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength. God has not disobeyed this commandment. The first commandment was to have no other gods before the LORD. God is not an idolater. As John Piper explains, the most passionate heart for God in all the universe is God's heart. God's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy himself forever.

Read the words of J.I. Packer:

If it is right for man to have the glory of God as his goal, can it be wrong for God to have the same goal? If man can have no higher purpose than God’s glory, how can God? If it is wrong for man to seek a lesser end than this, it would be wrong for God, too. The reason it cannot be right for man to live for himself, as if he were God, is because he is not God. Those who insist that God should not seek His glory in all things are really asking that He cease to be God. And there is no greater blasphemy than to will God out of existence.

God is ultimate, not us. And true religion ultimately exists not for humanity, but for God. This is only reasonable. It is wrong for a man to be self-centered because that man is not actually the center of the universe. God is, always has been, and always shall be the center of the universe.

Were God to act as if another were central to the universe, that “other” would be God. It is wrong for man to judge, as if he were God, because he isn't God. But God is God, and it is right for him to perform the functions that are only worthy of God. Besides, God’s perfect character is the very standard of good and evil. Whatever God desires is good. Self-centeredness—what the Bible calls God’s deity (Romans 1)—is of the essence of God’s being God.

Answer 2

I go to church regularly but I don't worship because I am asked to. I don't worship in set places or at set times. I don't know that I know the exact meaning of the word "worship". There are times when I am called from within or without to regard the unfathomable mystery of life, when I am experientially swept away with awe for what Paul Tilloch, a famous 20th century theologian, called "the ground of our being" [his term for God]. It has happened most often in the out-of-doors, looking at the beauty of the natural world. In those moments I recognize simultaneously a deep humility in my own existence and a focused centeredness, as if I am in exactly the right place, doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing in my life at that moment, and the only response I have is, "Thank you!" If that isn't worship, I will gladly keep it and never worship again.

Answer 3

Human beings are innately built for worship. God placed within each of us a whole that only He can fill. This was to protect us from worshipping that which would cause us to destroy ourselves.

Make no mistake about it. Every human being worships something. If you look closely you might find what you worship on the list below:

money
relationships
vacations
science
shopping
materialism
yourself
your children
work or career
TV
movies
celebrities
drugs, alcohol
partying
football
living life in the moment

And countless others all of which fail to fill that space meant only for God. God does not need your worship. You need to worship God to protect you from yourself.

You might not think that you worship anything. But, whatever you place as first priority in your life receives your worship. Is God first in your life? He should be for your sake not his.

Answer 4

that is a question for the ages. good question. why do we have to worship him? if they say God is love, hwy does he still need all the glory? well, since the beggining of time people have been looking for the meaning of life, is there someone out there, some being watching over us, a creator perhaps? and it isnt God people only worship, there are lots of different gods and stuff people worship, something they feel they are obliged to do, even if they say they dont, coz in tha back of there heads the gods would bless them and keep them safe and give them what they want.thats why people worship God. But not everybody thinks like that.other people really believe and they worship with honesty and purity in their hearts. this only means that you still have the power of the human mind, the power to chose, the power to think for yourself..so its up to you now where to put your faith in.. do some reading..if you're a christian read the bible for yourself and never believe in what someone tells about something, not even a pastor..always read for yourself and discover and search..coz if God is really true, he wont make it that hard for you to find him.

Answer 5

That gives you a feeling of beig grateful.This feeling is known ot humans besides a very few animals .Worship is payig respect to some paid as a token of gratitude fo securing something .Those who belive that god has made them , they pay respect to the god they elive in.why not pay respect in token of affection or gatitude .I f you do not want to that , you do not have to pay respect through worship. The absolute God ,will not tke it as an insult ,just like a mortal man.

Answer 6

God is worshipped because people are thanking him for the beauty that he created. It is selfish and there are several acts that show selfishness in our creator. Look at all the things that he has done both good and bad and you can see that there is meaning behind all of it.

Answer 7

My dear miu,
one of the reason we need to worship is that we are social beings - connected intimately with the world around us; you work and play and even worship with others. Whatever good deeds we do in solidarity with everyone else builds the good of our community; our family; our circle of friends etc. We benefit as being part of a well built society; on our own we are useless. So whatever good or gifts we have are shared together - offered to one another in some way or another. So do you get the drift of why we need to worship; worship - broadly speaking - is what a community does and whether we realise it or not we are a part of it.

Peace

Answer 8

I love your question, because you asked it here rather then just kept it inside and became bitter at God. I had the exact same question for a long time and here is the answer:

God wants us to worship him not for himself, but for OURselves. In heaven and on earth, he has millions, billions of people who worship him, including angels who know how to do it "professionally", do you really think that he is IN NEED of it from you?
No, he's not, but you do.
Every time that you give praise to God you prove to yourself, to the devil, and to every situation in your life that you have faith in God who can make your life glorious. You become a positive person. You literally make God to be God and King over your life, over every situation and problem that you have. Makes sense?

I'm not just making it up, God explained this to a number of people (you know how He talks to us.)

Answer 9

Worship usually refers to specific acts of religious praise, honour, or devotion, typically directed to a supernatural being such as God, a god or goddess. It is the informal term in English for what sociologists of religion call cultus, the body of practices and traditions that correspond to theology.

Religious worship may be performed individually, in informally organized groups, or as part of an organized service with a designated leader (as in a church, synagogue, temple, or mosque). In its older sense in the English language of worthiness or respect (Anglo-Saxon worthscripe), worship may sometimes refer to actions directed at members of higher social classes (such as lords or monarchs) or to particularly esteemed persons (such as a lover).

Christian worship is shaped by a Judeo-Christian holistic worldview, which incorporates both a ritual and moral component to worship. Provision for specific ritual acts is described, but appropriate action in all spheres of life is also required. In others words, one is invited to honour God by the way you live your life.

Answer 10

In the bible he actually says "I am a jealous God," meaning he doesn't like people to worship other things. This could mean that if you're addicted to video games or sex, you're basically worshipping those activities. Praying keeps you focused on God.

Answer 11

I don't think God is so human as to require worship, I think that is left up to the priests who prolly enjoy it..:)....and need it for the collection plate:)