Dear Church,

William Temple, the Archbishop of Canterbury, once offered a profound definition of worship:

“To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.”

This definition captures the essence of true worship – it demands the engagement of our entire being. Our conscience, mind, imagination, heart, and will must all be directed toward God. What ignites such complete worship?  It is the holiness of God.  When we catch even a glimpse of His holiness, our response is nothing less than wholehearted worship.

Consider Isaiah’s encounter with God in Isaiah 6, or the 24 elders in Revelation 4:9-11, who fell before the throne in reverence. Holiness leads to worship.

The beauty of this truth is that we can worship God anywhere—whether in church, while driving, walking, gardening, or even in the shower. However, true worship cannot be half-hearted. It demands our full attention, captivating our minds, heart, and soul. Worship becomes vibrant and engaging when we are no longer ‘bored’ with God but are instead in awe of His holiness.

And why shouldn’t we be fully engaged? As New Testament believers, we are no longer held at a distance. We are welcomed into the very Throne Room of the universe (Hebrews 4:14-16). This invitation is not a call to casual familiarity, but to approach our Abba (Father) in heaven with “reverence and awe,” for our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29).

Be encouraged,

Mathews