In this fourth session take time to discuss how you tackled the challenge from last week.
This week, try to find a different way of praying. If you usually pray in your room, go out for a walk in nature. If you tend to speak your prayers out loud, try writing or drawing them.
We all worship something; whether it’s a relationship, a career, or just plain old money, all of us express devotion to something. As Christians, putting God at the centre of our lives means that the object of our focus has to be God – he deserves our devotion, but he also transforms and enhances our lives when we do. ‘Worshipping God’ might sound a bit boring, or religious, but that’s only because so often we have a really restricted idea of worship, where we reduce it down to singing and doing activities in church. But if God wants to be part of every single area of our lives, then everything we do can be an expression of putting him first; of devotion; of worship. Worship might mean singing a song, but it can also be kicking a ball, painting a canvas, or caring for a friend.
• What does the word ‘worship’ mean to you? What associations does it have?
• Is it harder to worship someone who is invisible but perfect (i.e. God) or something that’s real but flawed (i.e. a sports team)?
• “True worship is about surrender” – what do you think about this statement?
• On p.64-66 there are a few examples of what it looks like to worship or prioritise God in different areas of our lives. In which of these areas do you think it’s more easy or difficult to do that?
• How do you think you could best express your worship to God in an ‘act’? Do you love to sing, or write, or dance? Or something else?
• Read through the poetic sermon extract from SM Lockridge on p.68-69 and allow it to inspire your prayers of worship.
• Ask God to be Lord of every area of your life, and to show you how to put him first in everything you do.
In the week ahead, do something that you really enjoy, which you know also honours and pleases God. It could be going for a run, or doing something creative, or spending time doing something for someone else. As you do it, notice that this can be an expression of worship to the God who made you and is part of everything you do.
