Sons Worship Fathers

Admittedly, I don’t know a lot about other people’s beliefs, but I do know that people throughout the world worship. As I look at the act of worship, it almost universally has to do with a greater spiritual being than what is found in the human race. In the act of worship, there is usually a submission of sorts where the person surrenders their self-faith to faithfully connect with the power of the god being worshiped, usually in hopes of receiving a blessing of some sort. The act of submission is a choice to “give one’s self over” to the object of worship.

In the Christian faith, of which I am more familiar, the act of worship is a deliberate act of submitting one’s focus or awareness to be wholly filled, or consumed, by God. Like a sponge that is dry, we are then able to absorb the presence of God like water. The more we ask for the water, the more we allow it to be absorbed, and the more soaked in it we become.At some point, because we are limited by human conditions, we become filled to the point where we really cannot receive more of God’s presence. But, with the presence of God comes lessons, callings, and inner self growth which work to increase our capacity to receive God, so over time, we become more capable of absorbing more and more of Him, but there is always a limit because of our human nature. Worship is the act of seeking and asking for the water to be poured over the sponge because God’s presence is so good for us.

The Christian man is continually seeking victory over the distractions of the world, the pride of his flesh, his fears of inadequacy, and the ability to trust God so he can give himself over to God, and receive God’s presence, transformative power, and eternal grace for his sins. This is a huge battle at times, and for some men it is insurmountable because they can’t get past their previous beliefs to truly absorb the water. They are frequently hindered by influences that reduce or thwart the flow of God’s water into their spongy interior. It isn’t God who holds back, but it is the steel-like veneer that covers the sponge.

When a son is born into a family where the father is frequently present, he will easily submit to the father’s presence and want to absorb as much of the father’s presence as possible. As a toddler he will openly emulate his father, copying phrases, choices, actions, and other behaviors. It is a natural program of the son’s human mind to seek identity clues by merging his sense of self with the appearances of his father. In essence, the son is giving himself over to the father, and following him in order to find a greater sense of himself, to receive a blessing, or most usually, to simply be connected and in relation with the father.

This is worship.