If our worship and practice are not grounded in deep theology, worship will be shallow—fleeting sentimentality—and its practice will be merely empty moralism. We never need to fear that our awe will deplete because God is infinite and offers an endless supply of data for our worship and fear of him. The adventure of knowing God provides never-ending vistas of glory.

1. Heartfelt Gratitude and Joy

One of the most important experiences of my life was when my wife and I attended a dedication ceremony for a Wanca Quechua translation of the New Testament in Peru. Rick and Melanie Floyd, missionaries from our church, devoted decades of their lives so that these people would have the Bible in their own language. People at the ceremony were weeping because they were able to read a Bible in their own language for the first time. They had a parade that wound for miles through the streets of Huncayo.

I was deeply humbled by their appreciation of the Bible and have never looked at the many Bibles on my shelves and devices the same again. There are still thousands of people groups who do not have translations of the Bible in their native tongue. We should never take God’s Word for granted. It is a great blessing that God has revealed himself and that we have access to that revelation and Bibles in our own language.

2. Fear and Worship of God

God is the greatest thing we could ever try to comprehend. He is perfect in all his ways and staggeringly glorious. When people truly catch but a glimpse of his greatness, they are overwhelmed and forever changed. Our theology (right thinking) should always lead to doxology (right worship) and orthopraxy (right practice), or else we have a major disconnect in our theology.

On the other hand, if our worship and practice are not grounded in deep theology, worship will be shallow—fleeting sentimentality—and its practice will be merely empty moralism. We never need to fear that our awe will deplete because God is infinite and offers an endless supply of data for our worship and fear of him. The adventure of knowing God provides never-ending vistas of glory.

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