Readings for today: 1 Chronicles 15:1-16:36, Romans 1:18-32, Psalms 10:1-15, Proverbs 19:6-7
I love the song David appoints Asaph to sing. It’s all about God. All about His majesty and splendor and greatness. All about His mighty deeds. The miracles performed by His mighty hand. It calls us to lay aside our issues. Our struggles. Our trials. Our fears. It calls us to lay aside our distractions. Preoccupations. Those things that draw our attention away from God. It calls us to lay down our personal preferences. Our needs. Our wants. Our desires. It calls us to focus on God and God alone.
“Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!” (1 Chronicles 16:8-10)
“Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be feared above all gods.” (1 Chronicles 16:23-25)
How often do we walk into worship with a critical spirit? How often do we walk out of worship and evaluate the experience based on what we did or did not get out of it? How often do we judge our worship based on the emotions we felt? These questions only betray the poverty of our spiritual condition. The sinful, selfish nature of our hearts. Worship is not about us. It’s not about getting our needs met. Our desires fulfilled. It cannot be judged on the relevance to our daily lives. Worship is about God. It’s about His Presence. His majesty. His glory. Worship requires all our focus. All our attention. All our energy. The greatness of our God should consume us. Overwhelm the senses. Bring us to our knees in awe and wonder at all He has done. In the light of His mighty works of salvation, the petty needs, wants and desires that occupy so much of our attention should fade into the background.
Does that mean our needs will go unmet? Of course not! God is faithful. Look at how Asaph ends his song. “Say also: "Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and deliver us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting!" Then all the people said, "Amen!" and praised the Lord.” (1 Chronicles 16:35-36) Yes, God will deliver. Yes, God will save. Yes, God will answer our prayers. Yes, God’s love is steadfast, loyal, and true. But our salvation is but a byproduct of His glory. It is intended to serve His purposes more than our own. Yes, we glory in the fact that our names are written in the Book of Life. Yes, we glory in the fact that God has gathered us from among the nations. Yes, we glory in the fact that we have been forgiven and set free by the Cross. But even these things pale in significance to the glory of God! In fact, these gifts are given in order to lift our eyes above our station. Above our circumstances. Above all earthly wants, needs, and desires to the One who gives so generously and so lavishly to His people.
Worship God, dear friends! Enter His Presence with thanksgiving! Enter His courts with praise! Give Him all the honor and glory He demands and deserves! For He is God and we are but the sheep of His pasture! He is God and we are but dust and ashes! He is God and we are but “few in number, of little account, and sojourners” in this world. Wanderers far from our eternal home. Worship God for He has chosen us from before the foundations of the world to bear His image and reflect His glory to the world!
Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 16:37-18:17, Romans 2:1-24, Psalms 10:16-18, Proverbs 19:8-9