True worship is defined by the attitude of the heart more than an action of the hands or lips. This doesn’t mean that you can avoid the activities of the body by claiming that you are ‘worshiping on the inside, and that’s what counts.’ Don’t try to play God or other people. If you are truly worshiping, it will work its way out into the natural elements of singing, shouting, dancing, clapping, the raising of hands, kneeling, crying, smiling, etc. Worship is a funny thing in that it can cause us to have seemingly competing emotional responses in our experience. That’s okay. One expression of worship is not superior to another, as long as both are done in the spirit of honesty. But what about these competing expressions? Sometimes we feel like standing to worship. Other times we feel like sitting or kneeling. And I’ve even worshipped laying down stretched out on the floor. Each of these postures flow from an appreciation of who God is in the moment. They also reflect an understanding of who I am. I want to break it down a little bit and hopefully this will resonate with you, and encourage you in your worship time. Sometimes you may feel like standing while you worship. This can reflect the idea that you are a victorious child coming in to show your gratitude and praise for your magnificent warrior Father. We stand when someone important enters a room, like a judge, or a person being honored. We stand when our favorite team rushes onto the field. We stand when our nation’s flag is presented. Standing is a posture of celebration and honor. There are occasions when you may feel like worshiping while seated or kneeling. This can reflect the idea that you are waiting for God to speak. There is nothing wrong with sitting quietly in anticipation. In a hospital waiting room, some people will be pacing the floor while others will be reservedly sitting in contemplation, awaiting news from the doctor. Just as we are directed by Scripture to celebrate our King, we are also instructed to wait upon Him. If a king is going to bestow an honor on an individual, it is customary for that person to take a knee and await the blessing. Sitting and kneeling are postures of contentment and expectation. And still other times you may stretch out on the floor in a posture that often reflects desperation. When I can’t stand, and I don’t even have the strength to sit up or kneel, I can lie down before my Creator. The first human was stretched out on the ground right before God breathed life into his body. This incredibly humble gesture may be the result of being crushed, or it may reflect the idea that you wish to be reformed by God. Lying down is a posture of brokenness and surrender. Whatever your posture, remember that the subject of your worship is the One who made you, loves you, and wants fellowship with you. Don’t assume the posture of another worshiper simply to fit in. Rather, let the presence of God and the position of your heart determine the posture of your worship. One writer who was overcome with the wonder of God put it this way... “Come, let us shout joyfully to the Lord, shout triumphantly to the rock of our salvation! Let us enter His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout triumphantly to Him in song. For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods. The depths of the earth are in His hand, and the mountain peaks are His. The sea is His; He made it. His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under His care.” (Psalm 95:1-7) This devotional was originally written on March 15, 2015 This is an absolutely free resource. If you would like to support us, you can give via the above link. The video below is associated with the topic. There's a lot of talk these days about finding one's safe space. When something disturbing happens in our world, a growing number of people are falling apart and looking for a place where they can curl up into an emotional (and sometimes a physical) ball. A generation was raised to value their feelings above all else. They were encouraged to express their emotions, but not engage their inner man to deal with problems. They simply don't have the tools to interact with issues with strength and resolve. So now there is a national conversation about 'safe spaces', where people can cry, sit, pet animals, and express their fear and anger in other ways that make them feel like people care about their inner conflict. Whether it is at universities or the work place, 'safe places' are being created to accommodate such people. Why would a 28-year old at Harvard need a room on campus where they can go to lie down on a couch with a 'therapy beagle' upon hearing about a shooting at the University of Oregon... or upon hearing the news of the election of a person with whom he disagrees? Is it wrong to have a safe space? I don't think so. We do our best to create safe spaces at home, in our cars, in public situations, etc. There's nothing wrong with safety. And even in relationships, it is good to have certain people you can talk with without feeling like you are going to be betrayed or beat down because you reveal weaknesses in your life. But there is a difference between healthy care for your soul, and unhealthy coddling of your self. Care involves healthy empowering. Coddling involves unhealthy enabling. Care is a way to help someone overcome a problem. Coddling is a way to help someone succumb to a problem. Care encourages accountability. Coddling encourages avoidance. Care produces a victor. Coddling produces a victim. Care helps an injured person walk again. Coddling all but guarantees the injured person will remain a cripple. This is true in the physical realm as well as the emotional and spiritual realm. The believer doesn't need to create a 'safe space.' The safe space already exists. In fact, it doesn't have to be created because our safe place is eternal. Thousands of years ago, David who was a shepherd and became one of the greatest kings in history wrote... The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom should I be afraid? When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell. Though an army deploys against me, my heart is not afraid; though a war breaks out against me, still I am confident. I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking Him in His temple. For He will conceal me in His shelter in the day of adversity; He will hide me under the cover of His tent; He will set me high on a rock. Then my head will be high above my enemies around me; I will offer sacrifices in His tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the Lord. Lord, hear my voice when I call; be gracious to me and answer me. My heart says this about You, “You are to seek My face.” Lord, I will seek Your face. Do not hide Your face from me; do not turn Your servant away in anger. You have been my helper; do not leave me or abandon me, God of my salvation. Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me. Because of my adversaries, show me Your way, Lord, and lead me on a level path. Do not give me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing violence. I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and courageous. Wait for the Lord. - Psalm 27 It may be easy to dismiss an ancient writer who knew nothing of modern terrorism, racism, and political turmoil. Was he just a white man with privilege who didn't understand what it meant to have to curl up with some Green Day and cry a bit? Oh, David knew what it was like to be an underdog. He killed lions and bears who would attack his sheep. His brothers treated him like the runt of the family he was. You may have heard about David and Goliath. This is that David. To this day the phrase "David and Goliath" is used in military, sports, and any other context when insurmountable odds are at stake. David had to establish a kingdom, and then he had to fight off friends and family as well as other enemies who would seek to take it from him. David committed awful acts from which he had to repent. He lost his newborn son to death because of his selfishness. He knew about loss and struggle. He knew about everything that would take the heart of a man. And yes... he would take his ink and lyre and write songs to perform and put himself where he should be to survive the storms of life. That place was in the care of God Himself. This Psalm perfectly explains where the believer finds safety and care. It is in the presence of a loving warrior God who will protect and perfect those who find refuge with Him. He doesn't coddle us. He fights with us and for us. God doesn't deny our hurt. But neither does He glorify it. God empowers transformation during the conflict. You don't need a therapy dog to deal with bad news. You need the true God to deal with everything in your life. Don't run away from chaos. Run to your Creator. Not dealing with issues will not cause them to go away. We are to face struggle in the power of Christ. We are told to be courageous and not fear. This is not to diminish your pain, but it is to strengthen your purpose. Today something will likely come up in your life that will inspire fear. You will have a choice to make in that moment. Will you curl up and cry, or will you hit your knees and cry out to Jesus? God is waiting for you to run to Him. There is no safer place than being with God in the middle of a battle. This is an absolutely free resource. If you would like to support us, you can give via the above link. The video below is associated with the topic. In our lives there are truths that seem to be in competition, but are simply in tension. An example of this is... Truth - God owes me absolutely nothing. Truth - God made promises to me, and is bound by His word. The way I see it, God is holy and true, and above all. He has always been good to me... much better than I deserve. Just to be allowed to breathe in His kingdom is a blessing beyond anything I could ever ask. He has been merciful, and gracious, and patient, and so many other things to this man who has been so many horrible things. He is a Father and Friend to one who has been a rebellious enemy. He has sustained me and supplied my every material, relational and spiritual need. If the goodness stopped on this day, in my 47th year, I would have absolutely no complaints... NONE. God owes me absolutely nothing. But as I read the Bible, I notice promise, upon promise, upon promise. And while God is above everything, He is not above keeping His word. Scripture tells us that God does not lie, neither is it possible for Him to lie in anything. God is so trustworthy according to His word, that He will keep His word, even when we break ours. How many times have we prayed asking God to move in our behalf, and in the prayer we make a commitment to Him... only to not fulfill our end after He has miraculously done what He said He would do. God is a God of His word. This passage sort of ties these two truths together... His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires. (1 Peter 1:3-4) And He doesn't just make easy promises. You see, God knows how we are like we know how we are. God is commiting to be faithful to people who are historically unfaithful. He makes solid promises to promise-breakers. Most of us wouldn't do that, but He does... all the time. The Bible is full of hundreds, if not thousands of God's promises. Here are a few... If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved... For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:9,13) “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) "Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13) Some promises are very straight-forward and easy to see come to pass. Others are more difficult to see some to pass, but they are still God's words and we must trust that they will come to pass, even if we can't quite see them. An example would be... “I assure you,” Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house, brothers or sisters, mother or father, children, or fields because of Me and the gospel, who will not receive 100 times more, now at this time—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and eternal life in the age to come." (Mark 10:29-30) I don't know how that all works out, but I must trust that God is a God of His word. Though this world will pass away, not one part of His word will ever disappear. Believe all of His word. Then live in response to it. Today rest in the truth that God has already been so good to you that He owes you absolutely nothing, and at the same time realize that He has bound Himself to you by His eternal word. This is not to keep Him honest. It is to keep us humble. This is an absolutely free resource. If you would like to support us, you can give via the above link. The videos below are associated with the topic. When I was in school, I did not do great in Science. I mean, I didn't flunk the class, but I didn't excel in the homework, or even the tests. But I was still fascinated by nature, and how things work. I loved doing experiments, and I enjoyed television shows that explain scientific things in a very practical way. I still do. I don't have all of the technical terminology down, but I really enjoy seeing how things are, go, work, develop... It's just really cool to me. I see God's hand in everything from the smallest mechanics to the largest forms. Science reminds me of the miracle of it all. Ironically, much of the scientific community, from the academic halls to the laboratories and industry periodicals, does not believe in God or a supreme being of some sort. In fact, a Pew Research survey from 2009 of scientists from the American Association for the Advancement of Science found that almost half of the scientists do not believe in God or a supreme being (42%). Contrast that with the general American public where about 95% believe in God or a supreme being. So nearly half of the people who have chosen a career to pursue knowledge about how the universe works do not believe in a Creator. Let that sink in for a minute. That would be like you reading this devotional and not believing that someone wrote it, but trying to figure out how it got here. The fact is, God created the universe. And it is splendid. Many Christians find some level of amazement in it. But obviously scientists have an over the top appreciation for it. It is after all the way they put food on their table. But for many it is a passion to figure it out. Now honestly, there is a great mystery in creation, life, and the universe. Some of it is actually beyond our understanding. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to learn more about how nature works, and in turn learn more about who God is. In the Psalms we find this passage... "The Lord’s works are great, studied by all who delight in them. All that He does is splendid and majestic; His righteousness endures forever." (Psalms 111:2-3) God is so awesome, and His works are so spectacular, that they capture the interest, imagination and intellect of those who don't even believe in Him. It hurts to think that there are people who are trying to find the answers of the universe while covering their eyes to the truth of God. But it is still remarkable. The same Psalm goes on to say, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Psalms 111:10) The fact is, God has created this expansive realm to draw our attention to Him. The key to finding the Father is Jesus. The key to the world finding Jesus is the Holy Spirit through the lives of believers. Christians are the key to helping everyone look into the microscope or telescope of life and see God. We should be amazed at creation. Mostly we should love people, who are the crown of God's creation. When people study us, they should find a God who did not only create us, but recreated us and made us new. Today, be a great specimen of God's new creation. This is an absolutely free resource. If you would like to support us, you can give via the above link. The video below is associated with the topic. I recently renewed my tags for my vehicle. When I went out to my car to put the new year sticker on, I began to peel it back. But it wouldn't peel. Finally I looked at the instructions and it told me how to peel it correctly, and it told me the instructions were "IMPORTANT". I've been peeling and applying annual tag stickers for 30 years. I never had to read instructions about how to peel the sticker off until this time. How complicated can it be? Why was there now a method that required instructions? The only thing I could figure was it was a government program, and our government is determined to take the simple and make it complicated, if for no other reason than to give someone else a useless job of writing instructions for peeling a sticker. That being said, it is what it is. So I bent the sticker at the dotted line, and it began to peel back. I didn't feel any better about the process, but I was glad my sticker was coming off. Ironically, as it came off, the wind blew the paper back and the stucker became attached at a different point. This became a problem. The paper would not come off of the corner of the sticker, and now my year sticker is not completely stuck on my tag. I read the instructions, but I didn't follow the last part as closely as I should. I wasn't careful as I peeled the sticker. So three lessons were reinforced on that day. Firstly, is a right way to do things. I don't know how long I would have stood there trying to get my fingernail up under a corner to peel it back. But that wasn't the right way. There was really only one right way to successfully perform that particular task. There may be millions of wrong ways, but there was only one right way. Secondly, there are instructions. They were right there where my fingers were trying to scrape the sticker off. I was fighting with the paper that actually held the solution to my problem. Someone knew that the system was different and would require some special action, so they wrote it out for me. They were helping me, and all I had to do was read. I didn't have to reinvent the process and figure it out on my own. I could get frustrated and upset that they changed the system, but with the new system came clear instructions. I can't ask for more than that. Thirdly, all of the instructions matter... especially when they use the word 'IMPORTANT'. My task was not complete just because I removed the sticker from the wax part of the paper. The goal was not just to remove the sticker, but to apply it to the plate. The sticker is very sticky, as it is supposed to last a year in various weather elements. So if it touches something between the waxy part of the paper and the plate, you are going to have issues. Care is needed to complete the task. They even told me that. Now, the life application seems pretty clear. In the Garden of Eden we had one rule. It was super clear. Don't eat from that one tree. I don't know how long they lived there without eating from it. But at some point, they disobeyed God, and the world became vastly different. We went from having a very simple rule that anyone could easily follow to having a broken and complicated world with literally thousands of rules that are meant to keep us alive. Thankfully God has given us His word, and people who dedicate their lives to knowing His word, to help us know the instructions. Here are a couple of things the Bible says about instructions... "Listen to instruction and be wise; don’t ignore it." (Proverbs 8:33) "All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17) The purpose of instruction is to make us wise and ready for every good work God puts before us. God may have allowed us to be born into a broken and complicated world, but He has given us everything we need to to live a Godly life. For the believer, it is literally right in front of us, and even in us. We are never too young or too old for instruction. But we can be too prideful for it. One of my prayers is that God will keep me from becoming so arrogant that I can't receive instruction. Many of us want to build the item without reading the instructions, or glancing at them. But as cumbersome and redundant as they seem to be, they are there to help us successfully complete the mission. Frankly, for a lot of things in life there is not just one right way. God gives us free will, and beyond that, He gives us options so that we can experience a unique life on this wonderful planet. And the instructions are not always written out in black and white. Many times it is about following the leading of the Spirit of God working in your life, using the principles you find in His word. And not every decision holds a universe of awful consequences if you aren't as careful as a brain surgeon. But generally there is a specific right way, and clear instructions that should be followed carefully. Today, don't try to reinvent the wheel in your life. When you come to a problem that you can't naturally work through, don't fight it. Find the instructions, and follow them carefully. You will be wiser and empowered to accomplish greater things. This is an absolutely free resource. If you would like to support us, you can give via the above link. The video below is associated with the topic. |
AuthorMy name is David, and I want to know God more, and help other people find Him. Archives
March 2019
Categories |