“We Will Go and Worship”: What Abraham Teaches Us About the True Meaning of Worship

Abraham, Isaac, and their donkey climb the hill with wood for the sacrifice—an image of worship defined by obedience, surrender, and trust.

When most people hear the word worship, they think of singing. Hands raised, music swelling, maybe a dimly lit room and a favorite song that stirs the soul. And yes—singing is worship. But it’s not all worship. In fact, the very first time “worship” appears in the Bible, there isn’t a song in sight.

The First Mention of Worship

Genesis 22:5 records Abraham saying to his servants:

“Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.”

Abraham wasn’t walking up that mountain with a guitar. He was walking with his son Isaac, wood, fire, and a knife. He was walking toward obedience—toward surrender. When he said, “we will go and worship,” he was declaring his intention to honor God through trust and submission, no matter the cost.

The Hebrew word translated worship here is שָׁחָה (shachah), which means to bow down, to prostrate oneself, to give reverence or homage. In the ancient world, bowing was an act of surrender and submission—a recognition of authority and worth. So from the very first mention, worship is about posture, not performance. It’s about the heart bowed low before a holy God.

Worship Is About Surrender

Abraham’s story teaches us something profound: worship is costly. It’s not a mood or a melody; it’s a motion of the will that says, “God, I trust You even when I don’t understand.” True worship means surrendering what we love most because we believe God is worthy of it. That could be control, reputation, comfort, or even something good—like Isaac.

Romans 12:1 echoes this same truth centuries later:

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”

Paul reminds us that worship is not confined to a service—it’s a lifestyle. Every time we obey God in faith, forgive someone who hurt us, or choose integrity over convenience, we are worshiping.

Worship Through Song—But Not Only Song

Singing is one expression of worship, and it’s a beautiful one. The psalms overflow with songs that glorify God. Music helps align our hearts, focus our minds, and unite God’s people in praise. But when we reduce worship to music, we risk missing its depth.

You can sing every word of every song and still never worship if your heart isn’t surrendered. Conversely, you can worship in total silence if your heart is bowed in obedience.

Worship isn’t about the song—it’s about the heart behind it.

Living a Life of Worship

When you clock in at work and do your job with excellence because it honors God—that’s worship. When you love your family patiently and sacrificially—that’s worship. When you choose gratitude in suffering, or faith over fear—that’s worship.

Jesus told the Samaritan woman in John 4:23–24 that “true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.” Spirit—meaning from the heart, and truth—meaning aligned with who God is. Worship, then, isn’t about location, mood, or music. It’s about authentic devotion flowing from a heart surrendered to God’s will.

The first act of worship in the Bible wasn’t a song—it was surrender. The first worship leader wasn’t holding a microphone—he was holding a knife. And the first worship service didn’t happen in a sanctuary—it happened on a mountain of obedience.

When we understand this, we begin to see worship not as something we do for twenty minutes on Sunday, but as the rhythm of a life fully yielded to God.

So go ahead—sing your heart out. But when the music stops, keep worshiping.