Chore Day and Acts of Worship

Every other Saturday is “chore” day around our house. My area of responsibility is cleaning the master bedroom and bathroom which, unfortunately, also involves scrubbing the toilet. Most of us have had this experience. Without going into the dirty details, the job is simply NASTY. NOT what I look forward to doing on a Saturday by any means.

I’ve recently been reading a book that deals with practicing “being present with God” or bringing God into our everyday, mundane activities and making them into acts of worship. (Present Perfect, Gregory A. Boyd)


So what exactly is an “act of worship”? In its base, general definition, an act of worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed to one or more deities. (NO, I AM NOT going to talk about worshipping the porcelain god!) The word “worship” is “derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something, for example, Christian worship.” (Wikipedia)


Evelyn Underhill, noted Christian mystic, defines worship thus: "The adoring acknowledgment of all that lies beyond us—the glory that fills heaven and earth. It is the response that conscious beings make to their Creator, to the Eternal Reality from which they came forth; to God, however they may think of Him or recognize Him, and whether He be realized through religion, through nature, through history, through science, art, or human life and character." (Wikipedia)


Paul noted about worship, “1 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 true worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2, TNIV)


So if acting “in worship” to God means “to ascribe worth” or value to Him and it involves offering my body “as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God”, then what does that LOOK like in my everyday life? Can the simplest, mundane acts become holy, sacred moments of worship? Can washing the dishes or taking out the trash or cleaning the toilet become acts of worship? I’m beginning to grasp the concept that these mundane acts can in fact become holy, sacred moments based on my attitude in doing them.


In Paul’s passage regarding worship (Romans 12:1-2), he expresses that true worship DOES have something to do with our state of mind: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” He is asking and expecting us to change our “state of mind” (attitude) while we perform these outward, physical activities (acts of worship). My flesh draws me to have an attitude of pride when I am faced with cleaning the toilet (“I should be PAYING someone to do this nasty job!”) because my default mode is to think that I am better than having to do it. NOT an act of worship. Just get it done, get it over with and wash my hands!


I think the argument can be made that, if I am cleaning a toilet for example (urgh!) and I do the mental and possibly emotional work inside and humbly ask for God’s help in changing my attitude about what I am doing and I allow His Spirit to work through me in it…am I NOT ascribing value and worth to God in so doing? Is the attitude that I am allowing to be transformed in my mind (in the face of this particularly NASTY task) NOT saying to God, “you are WORTH me taking the time, expending the mental and emotional energy into transforming my mind, my attitude so that I DON’T follow the pattern of this world (being PROUD in my attitude) you, Father, Lord Jesus, are WORTH that.” Have I succeeded in making the act of cleaning the toilet an act of worship?


Today is Thursday. I’m going to give it my best shot this Saturday. :)