The Chief End of Man


What is the chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.

So says the Westminster Shorter Catechism.

Rev 4:11

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."

I love to worship. Worship makes time and space fold and I find myself immediately before the throne of God and I am transfixed by His presence.

When others think about what they will do when they get to heaven, they talk about exploring the streets of gold, checking out their mansions or talking to some of the greats of the faith. Not me, I want to make a bee-line for the throne and I want to spend the first couple of millennia on my face before the Father worshipping Him.

However, as much as I know that worship is all about Him, the truth is that I come into worship with certain expectations.

In talking about worship, John Wimber used to say, "Visitation of God’s presence is a byproduct of worship. However, we don’t worship in order to gain His presence. He is worthy to be worshipped whether or not He chooses to show up.."

Of course, God always shows up when we worship Him with sincere hearts, but that is not the aim of worship. The aim of worship is to glorify Him, to tell Him how much we love Him; to praise Him for whom He is and thank Him for what He does.

And yet, I still find myself judging worship based on how it affects me. “Worship was awesome this morning” or “Worship was flat and dead” are comments that I have heard and said myself.

It is when this happens that I realize how far I still have to go in my walk with the Lord. It doesn’t matter what I get out of worship, it matters that I worship in spirit and in truth. I worship because He is worthy.

He created humankind because He desired to be loved and to be worshipped. That is why He gave us free will. We have a choice to make.

Hab 3:17-18

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

I pray that I will always choose to worship Him regardless of what I get out it and regardless of the circumstances.

Job 13:15

Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;

NIV

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