Meditation

Meditation for 11/13/2019

“David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, ‘Praise be to you, O Lord, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Ours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.” (1^st Chronicles29:10–13)

Worship enters on God in His holy, unique nature before it looks to His acts on behalf of His people. One great characteristic of worship is pure love for or adoration of the Lord. Focusing the mind and heart on the majesty of God, contemplating the glory of God, meditating upon all the glorious attributes of God are all vital to worship.

The sovereignty of God is the basic reason for and focus of worship. These verses vividly illustrate such adoration. We have lost much of this sense of awe and adoration which ought to be at the heart of our worship. As you enter church to worship, do you sense awe and adoration? If not, maybe you and God need to have a conversation, to help you figure out why you don’t and ask Him to help you to once again feel this way, it will change the way you worship, I promise.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY:

Precious Abba, I feel You close as I enter Your church to worship, but not all feel the same way. Today, we come before Your throne of grace and mercy, seeking You to once again feel the awe, adoration and richness of Your Presence in our lives. Let us have renewed attitudes about what worship truly is, and how we are to respond to You. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

“People use duct tape to fix everything….God used nails!”

KNOWING GOD:

“Put on sackcloth, O priests and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you who minister before my God; for the grain offerings and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God. Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.” (Joel 1:13-14)

Often the humility required for true worship is evidenced by weeping, fasting, and repentance. Joel called upon the priests to proclaim a national ceremony of lamentation. Times of distress are times for humble community worship, crying to God for help. Fasting was a sign of mourning for the devastation of the locusts. In crisis God’s people need to join in public and private lamentation earnestly seeking God’s direction for a way out.

I AM:

Worship, Obedience and Humility: (Hosea6:6)

Beloved inconsistent, sporadic love is a sin. Yahweh, our God, will not be one among many lovers waiting His turn for our affections. Carrying out regular religious rituals is not substitute for daily devotion and service to the one love of our lives. We cannot breach God’s covenant and expect to go free. God punishes unfaithfulness or treachery. God wants the loving obedience of His people more than He wants their animal sacrifices. Worship comes from an obedient heart, filled with faith filled with God’s attitudes, such as mercy. Offerings given in pride and with demands on God are never acceptable. Acknowledging God’s sovereign rule over us is the prelude to prayer and the requirement for genuine relationship with God. Understand?

Second Thought of the Day:

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. For our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews12:28-29)

The judgment of God upon the present world order will be as a sharing of the heavens and the earth. The purpose is to reveal the durable or eternal things that cannot be shaken. Chief among them is the coming kingdom of God. It will be eternal. The thought of the coming kingdom should lead people to grateful, reverent worship.

The inheritance that belongs to Christians and the awesomeness of God make worship and grateful prayer logical actions. Has this occurred with you in your worship?