Ready:
“Come, let’s worship and bow down; let’s kneel before the Lord our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, the sheep under his care.” – Psalm 95:6-7
Set:
A coach was asked how one of his star players could be so consistently good game after game. “It’s his ability to focus every day in practice,” the coach responded. “He’s always focused on the right things, and that enables him to be at his best come gametime.” The practice of focusing on what’s most important pays off in competition—and it pays off in life.
Psalm 95 reminds us where to focus because of Who is most important: “Come, let’s worship and bow down; let’s kneel before the Lord our Maker.” Worship is the act of praising, adoring and giving our devotion to God. The practice of worship brings progress in consistently living and competing for the Lord. Here are a couple ways the practice of worship enables us to keep God as our most important focus:
1. The practice of worship cultivates reverence for God.
Sometimes coaches and athletes refer to God as “the Big Man upstairs.” Psalm 95 reminds us that God is far more than that. In worship we come before the Lord who “is a great God, a great King above all gods” (v. 3). He is “our Maker” and “our God” (vv. 6, 7). That’s why we’re encouraged to “bow down” and to “kneel”—physical indications of our recognition that God is worthy of our awe, wonder and deepest respect. The practice of worship grows us in genuine reverence for God, knowing that He is greater than all—and this enables us to keep the rest of life in proper perspective.
2. The practice of worship helps us see all of life as the platform for being devoted to God.
Romans 12:1 says, “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.” The practice of worship goes far beyond a Sunday church service. It is living with reverence and devotion to God throughout the week: offering ourselves as a living sacrifice to Him in every area. As “the sheep under his care” (v. 7), we follow Him with undivided devotion at all times.
When worship becomes a consistent practice in your life, it puts your sport in its proper place. God is now your most important focus, not competitive success. This enables you to resist the pressures to make your sport the god of your life or to allow your wellbeing to be determined by athletic success or failure. Instead, how you approach competing now becomes an act of worshiping the Lord, honoring Christ and doing all things for His glory.
Go:
Why is it so important to cultivate deepening reverence for and devotion to the Lord?
What is one next step you can take to grow in the practice of worship?
Workout:
Overtime:
“Lord, I worship You because You are my Maker and my God. I pray for a deepening reverence of You and devotion to You. May You be my focus in all that I do today. Amen.”