“Sing to the Lord! Give praise to the Lord! He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked.” (Jeremiah 20:13).
“We praise you, God, we praise you, for your Name is near; people tell of your wonderful deeds.” (Psalm 75:1).
God is worthy of ALL praise! It is a simple truth, but one that has seemed to fall apart in our every day lives. Christians in America seem to glorify the people that get us a new car, new phone, new TV, new shoes, new shirt, or even a new pair of socks more than God. You see those videos of kids jumping for joy with tears in their eyes at the sight of their brand new car and we are in total agreement, but when we see a man raise his hands to the Heavens with ultimate worship we hear, “What is his problem?”
Many people would say that it is different. The transformation is physical. He didn’t have a car and now he does. It is easy to see so it makes sense. On the flip side, the change on the inside cannot be justified because it is too miraculous to explain with words! How can I sing praises to the God that has given my family the means to clothe me, feed me, and cater to me when I was too meager to walk? How can I swing my arms around in worship to the God that provided a stable path to a lost child and showed him his worth when he didn’t think he had any? How can I jump for joy to the God that showered me with healing and blessing and showed me a love greater than I ever knew imagined whilst rejecting the same God this entire time? Maybe the same way an audience of Beliebers does the same when Justin takes the stage.
OR maybe it is because God is worthy! Maybe it’s because God is good! And maybe it is because “God is love”! (1 John 4:8) The Father has formed and shaped each and every one of us to his liking. Through both calamity and blessings, we are made whole through his Son.
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During training camp, we were in the middle of a worship session where all 70 or so Racers gathered in the learning center and sang to God with the instruction of a band. Everyone was free to worship as they felt. The worship ranged from some quietly surveying the room and reading the words of the songs and others shouting the words of the song in perfect harmony (that’s how it sounded to me at least!) and waving their arms to the Heavens. I am a pretty emotionally charged person, so I imagine you can guess where I fall on the spectrum 😀
As I was dancing and virtually shouting (once again, quite harmoniously), I heard God’s voice in my head My son, Get on your knees. I obeyed and continued my worship of him from a much lower position than I have been previously used to. For the rest of the song I kept repeating in my head Lord, what do you ask of me? What do you ask of your servant? Towards the end of the song, the Lord simply put out this, is where I want you.
You see that physical position is the position that Jesus took his entire life. He was constantly on his knees serving others. In fact, his entire ministry was centered around healing, casting demons out, raising people from the dead, and spreading the glory of his Father all the while. In that moment, God stripped me of my pride to say that this position of servitude is the one that I am called to in my own life. And, while I most likely will not take the physical position during my travels all too often, I will obediently follow the words of the Father. As the world-shattering prayer that Jesus gave us puts so eloquently, your kingdom come, your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Prayer: Father, guide your sons and daughters. Make us new in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Give us eyes to see, ears to listen, a quiet mind, and an obedient spirit. When it comes to the plan you have made for us, give us the encouragement to get on our knees and serve your kingdom. I pray this in your Heavenly name. Amen.
