Serving the Divine
By Moze Simarjuntak
V
arious theistic religions have their own ways of worshipping God. Some sacrifice a portion of their food
everyday. Others bow down on matted floors in prayer, performing medieval mat dances. Some whisper solemn
confessions to religious leaders in an attempt to repent and be saved from their sins. Animism, which is still
common in rural areas, demands sacrifices to animistic spirits (entertain the thought of “pig headed giraffe worship”
for a moment). Ancient historians referred to Egypt and India as countries where there were more gods than men.
These religions do agree on one thing, however- that worshipping their God(s) is a way of serving them.
How about Christianity? What form of worship or service does God demand? Do we still butcher birds and bake
stakes in temples? Many Christians confuse the concept of worship as congregations and singing praises. This is not
the meaning or entirety of worship, it is but a small part. Christians worship God in every aspect of their lives, even
though they may not seem related; from surviving schools to punching gym bags to cuddling your pet (my
favorite!) Incorporating faith and worship into what you do is commendable.
On the contrary, what not to do may not be as obvious as one would assume. Pharisees set an interesting example
to examine. They sang and prayed, gave charity and fasted, just like many Christians today. But why did God criticize
and condemn them? They did it for the wrong reason. They worshipped so men would praise them, not to serve
God, which is the actual point of worship. Let’s bring that into our present context: have we worshipped for the
right reason?
Keeping one’s motives in check is vital, because that’s exactly what worship is for. Worship fr