WORSHIP
C. L. Van Sant
The Urantian Journal of Urantia Brotherhood
Winter, 1980
"The worship experience consists in the sublime attempt of the betrothed Adjuster to communicate to the divine Father the inexpressible longings and the unutterable aspirations of the human soul. . ." (*66:5)
There is no human love as satisfying as that of the human child for the human parent, particularly the God-knowing child for the God-knowing parent. There is something in the manner-something in the eyes-in the face-in the voice.
If we become as a little child and if we are capable of that kind of unconditional love for our heavenly Father, the expression of that love is worship, which, we are told, is so satisfying to the love-dominated nature of the Universal Father.
For most of us, that childlike adoration is by no means easy. Our relationship with our Father is more formal. Even if God is our friend, we merely shake hands-we make him stand at arm's length. We do not just crawl up on his lap.
No one is to be blamed for this. We know so little of God. We can barely love the we know. How can we love him, whom we do not know?
In some of us it is difficult just to define what worship is. But defining worship helps greatly toward freeing us to do it. It is clear that it is different from prayer in emphasis. In prayer we ask of the Father, and though he is the giver of all good gifts, the emphasis is on ourselves and our needs, not on him. In worship we give.
"Worship is for its own sake ... we render such devotion and engage in such worship as a natural and spontaneous reaction to the recognition of the Father's matchless personality and because of his lovable nature and adorable attributes." (*65:6)
Prayer itself is always valuable. The child may always petition the parent. But though the worshipper may not ask anything for himself, it is worship, more than prayer, that really benefits the worshipper. Worship is so refreshing ... soul rest.
Worship is a chance to spend a few moments in intimate communion with the source of all power, life, and love. Though we ask nothing for ourselves, we find after worship that we return to our problems with a clearer head and a steadier hand. . . " (*1611:2)
And no wonder. For worship ". . . makes one increasingly like the being who is worshipped." (*1641:1) What greater gift can we receive from the Father of lights than that?
-C. L. Van Sant Bartlesville, Oklahoma
"Throughout this glorious age the chief pursuit of the ever-advancing mortals is the quest for a better understanding and a fuller realization of the comprehensible elements of Deity-truth, beauty, and goodness. This represents man's effort to discern God in mind, matter, and spirit. " (*646:3)
A Service of
The Urantia Book
Fellowship