Worship

By Polly Parke Friedman

Introduction:

What is worship?

Whom should we worship?

How is worship different from prayer?

Is worship an act, an attitude or both?

When do I worship and what does it do for me?

These are some of the questions explored in this paper. Since a complete comparison of prayer and worship would involve a very lengthy study of both, I have chosen to examine and define mainly the worship aspect and by doing so hope to clarify the meaning given to us so comprehensively in the pages of The URANTIA Book.

First, try to cast aside all old concepts of worship. We used to think of it according to our own individual experience... probably in some form of a service or program related to church. Many churches use a formal program called the "order of worship' for the Sunday morning service, but this is not what we are talking about. Forget the past. Pick up an entirely different slant and learn that worship is much more and more and more...

Definitions:

What is it?

The Urantia Book tells us worship is an attitude of receptivity that becomes an act within us when we allow our mind and spirit to concentrate on communion with God the Father. Because of the inner action that takes place in true worship, it becomes a transforming experience lifting us above and beyond our human contacts.

Whom do we worship?

(P. 65-4) "In the highest sense we worship the Universal Father and him only. True we can and do worship the Father as he is manifested in His Creator Sons, but it is the Father, directly or indirectly, who is worshipped and adored."

How does our communication reach him?

(P. 65-5) A Divine Counselor of Uversa tells us: ..."worship is undoubtedly encircuited and dispatched to the person of the Creator by the function of the Father' s personality circuit. We further believe such registry of the homage of an Adjuster indwelt creature is facilitated by the Father's spirit presence ... The Adjusters undoubtedly also utilize direct prepersonal channels of communication with God, and they are likewise able to utilize the spirit-gravity circuits of the Eternal Son."

Why do we worship?

(P. 65:6) "Worship is for its own sake; prayer embodies a self or creature-interest element; that is the great difference between worship and prayer. There is absolutely no self-request or other element of personal interest in true worship; we simply worship God for what we comprehend him to be. Worship asks nothing and expects nothing for the worshipper. We do not worship the Father because of anything we may derive from such veneration; 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." Para..7 "The moment the element of self-interest intrudes upon worship, that instant devotion translates from worship to prayer."

We (mortals) are limited in our capacity to worship. Worship, then, on our level is an attempt… the first baby-step.

(P. 66:L) "The mind of material limitations can never become highly conscious of the real significance of true worship. Man's realization of the reality of the worship experience is chiefly determined by the developmental status of his evolving immortal soul. The spiritual growth of the soul takes place wholly independently of the intellectual self-consciousness."

(P.66:5) "The worship experience consists in the sublime attempt of the betrothed Adjuster to communicate to the divine Father the inexpressable longings and the unutterable aspirations of the human soul -- the conjoint creation of the God-seeking mortal mind and the God-revealing immortal Adjuster."

It is no great credit to us that so many pages of The Urantia Book are needed to explain prayer (our chief concern) for the satisfaction of us mortals who are so completely self-centered and concerned over ego issues. But it is clearly stated - our first duty and privilege is found in worship.

(P.1123:6) "Prayer is indeed a part of religious experience, but it has been wrongly emphasized by modern religions, much to the neglect of the more essential communion of worship. The reflective powers of the mind are deepened and broadened by worship. Prayer may enrich the life, but worship illuminates destiny."

(P.303:6) “Worship is the highest privilege and the first duty of all created intelligences. Worship is the conscious and joyous act of recognizing and acknowledging the truth and fact of the intimate and personal relationships of the Creators with their creatures. The quality of worship is determined by the depth of creature perception; and as the knowledge of the infinite character of the Gods progresses, the act of worship becomes increasingly all-encompassing until it eventually attains the glory of the highest experiential delight and the most requisite pleasure known to created beings.”

(Pages 303-305) continue to give us beautiful descriptions of the fulfillment of worship on the Isle of Paradise. We catch a glimpse of what we have to look forward to when we attain the presence of God. Here worship is sheer pleasure, the highest joy, the ultimate of self-expression…refreshing play.

Can we find here an applicable lesson for us today ... that out of the simple beginnings of unselfish acts and service we will experience many unexpected, never imagined plus factors contributing to a fuller peace of mind?

(P.1616:11) Jesus attempted to teach his apostles the great truths about worship and prayer. The Urantia Book tells us, “although the apostles grasped only a few of his teachings at the camp, other worlds did and other generations on earth will.”

Are we ready?

(P.1616:7) He said: “Worship is intended to anticipate the better life ahead and then

to reflect these new spiritual significances back onto the life which now is. Prayer is spiritually sustaining, but worship is divinely creative.”

(P.l616:8) Jesus also explained that worship is a technique and a measuring tool:

"Worship is the technique of looking to the One for the inspiration of service to the many Worship is the yardstick which measures the extent of the soul's detachment from the material universe and its simultaneous and secure attachment to the spiritual realities of all creation."

Thus, we need to keep in mind that though the fruit of worship is inspirational, restful, creative, uplifting, it must first be directed above self, ever outward.

(P. 1616:9) Jesus continued: “Prayer is self-reminding – sublime thinking; worship is self-forgetting -- superthinking. Worship is effortless attention, true and ideal soul rest, a form of restful spiritual exertion.”

(P.1616: 10) “Worship is the act of a part identifying itself with the whole; the finite with the Infinite; the son with the Father; time in the act of striking step with eternity. Worship is the act of the son’s personal communion with the divine Father, the assumption of refreshing, creative, fraternal, and romantic attitudes by the human soul-spirit.”

All of this is rich and rewarding but we are still left with one question: How do I start? Where do I begin? Many of us are fledglings even in prayer. Jesus' apostles struggled long and hard with these same questions and in order to help them and us Jesus presented several different discourses on the subject of worship and prayer, always using varied terminology. He emphasized on one occasion that worship is the time to listen.

(P.1641:1) “Jesus taught his followers that, when they had made their prayers to the Father, they should remain for a time in silent receptivity to afford the in-dwelling spirit the better opportunity to speak to the listening soul. The spirit of the Father speaks best to man when the human mind is in an attitude of true worship. We worship God by the aid of the Father's indwelling spirit and by the illumination of the human mind through the ministry of truth.”

"How" is also explained on page 66:5:

"…the mortal mind consents to worship; the; the immortal soul craves and initiates worship; the divine Adjuster presence conducts such worship in behalf of the mortal mind and the evolving immortal soul. True worship, in the last analysis, becomes an experience realized on four cosmic levels: the intellectual, the morontial, the spiritual and the personal -- the conciousness of mind, soul and spirit, and their unification in personality."

(P.1641:1) “Worship, taught Jesus, makes one increasingly like the being who is worshipped. Worship is a transforming experience whereby the finite gradually approaches and ultimately attains the presence of the Infinite.”

(P. 2089:1) “The secret of his (Jesus') unparalleled religious life was this consciousness of the presence of God; and he attained it by intelligent prayer and sincere worship - unbroken communion with God."

Other references:

Rodan - 1774: What worship brings to the personality - learning from the Master.

1013:4 - worshipful customs

948:9 - Evaluation - God-knowing

1175 - Illumined worship