WORSHIP, RISK AND THE GRAND CANYON

I’ve never thought that worshipping God and taking risk were evenly remotely related, but after a day at the Grand Canyon, I’m convinced they are cousins. The problem is that we associate worshipping God with what we do once a week from our relatively safe and comfortable pew (or cushioned chair w/cup holder). I’m not saying worship doesn’t happen there. It does. However, that’s not what the biblical writers had in mind when they talked about worship.

The Grand Canyon

Here’s what got me to thinking about this – my daughter and I are at the Grand Canyon and she wants to zip line across part of the Canyon (1000 foot drop). She knows I’m a risk-averse pastor who was once an even more risk-averse engineer. So, she does the only things she can do – she shames me into it. She’s going with or without me and how sad is that? A 19-year-old girl is braver than her dad. I can’t let that happen. So, we zip line down the canyon [watch 90 sec video below].

We also spent some time on the Grand Canyon Sky Bridge which wasn’t as scary as I thought it was going to be – you just have to keep telling yourself, “Don’t look down, don’t look down, don’t look down.”

Anyway – at the same time my risk-averse life was being turned upside down by my 19-year-old risk-taking daughter, I was in awe of the majesty of God’s creation. In other words, I was taking a risk and worshipping God at the same time. And that’s when it hit me – these two were meant to go together.

Biblical Worship

Biblical worship fell into four main categories:

Sacrifice – confession and justice.

Remembrance – ceremony meant to honor God.

Physical Expression – singing, dancing, instrumentation, etc.

Obedience – living by God’s commands.

Worship and Risk

My contention is that there is an element of risk in each – but, especially in worship as obedience.

Worship is simply any act in which you express your love for God, to God.

The Psalmist does it by singing, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name!” (singing, Psalm 8:1). If I didn’t know better, I would have guessed he was zip-lining down the Grand Canyon when he wrote it.

Abraham did it by stacking rocks (remembrance).

Moses did it by offering animal sacrifices (sacrifice).

Jesus did it by going to the cross (obedience) – “Not my will, Father, but your will be done,” was an act of worship.

Just before he went to the cross, Jesus said this:If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” — John 15:9-12