A Living Act of Worship
What does it truly mean to glorify God? This question has inspired believers for centuries. Puritan pastor Thomas Watson offers a beautiful framework: glorifying God is a life lived in four dimensions—Appreciation, Adoration, Affection, and Subjection.
1. Appreciation: Set God Highest in Your Thoughts. Gratitude turns our hearts toward God. To glorify God begins with appreciation. It is recognizing that everything we have and are comes from Him. Watson reminds us to abound in thanksgiving for what God has done through Jesus Christ. Bible tells us that “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). It is like a child receiving a birthday gift from a parent. True appreciation is not just saying “thank you,” but treasuring the gift, using it with joy, and thinking of the giver each time it is used. Similarly, glorifying God means holding His blessings in grateful recognition and lifting our hearts in constant thanks.
2. Adoration: Acknowledge God’s Worthiness. He alone is worthy of our worship. Adoration is the act of ascribing all honor and praise to God. It is declaring with heart and life that He alone deserves our reverence. Every moment of awe, every act of praise, points us away from ourselves and toward the glory of the Almighty. Psalmist says“Oh, come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!” (Psalm 95:6). Worship and adoration is not just about what God does for us, but honoring who He is.
3. Affection: Love God with Your Whole Being. “True worship flows from love.” Affection is loving God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Worship becomes a natural overflow when we delight in the One who is altogether lovely. The Bible says that,“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30). It is like a devoted musician who spends hours perfecting a song for someone they deeply love. Every note, every rhythm, comes from a heart of passion. Loving God with our whole being is like offering our life as a living song of devotion, where every thought, action, and desire is tuned to Him.
4. Subjection: Dedicate Yourself Fully. Faith in action is obedience.
Glorifying God involves complete surrender and obedience. Faith is not passive; it requires dedication to God’s will. Scripture tells us that “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9). Paul points out, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant…” (Philippians 2:5–7). Just like a soldier who fully commits to his commander—not just in word, but in every action, we need to dedicate our life daily so that our life will be in alignment with His will, ready to serve Him in thought, word, and deed.
Worship as a Whole-Life Response
Faith in Christ makes true worship possible. When our faith is expressed through love and an emptying of self, worship involves our entire existence—thoughts, heart, mind, strength, and actions—directed to God as the supreme authority and Savior. Glorifying God is not a single act—it is a lifestyle. Through Appreciation, Adoration, Affection, and Subjection, we honor the One who is worthy of all praise, all love, and all devotion.
Stand Firm! 
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