Worship | From the Inside Out

Posts Tagged ‘Worship’

God’s Blessing on All Things

Posted in Appreciation, Blessings, God, God's Goodness, Praise, Uncategorized, Worship, tagged 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Appreciation, Blessing, Exodus 23:25, God's Goodness, Praise, Psalm 145, Worship on July 11, 2013| 9 Comments »

“Worship the Lord your God and his blessing will be on your food and water” (Exodus 23:25a).

Food and water. Common, everyday things. But this verse promises God’s blessing on them. In other words, even the mundane things of life can put smiles on our faces.

Mundane things like:

The graceful dance of tree limbs in a soft breeze
The tapping of rain on the roof, while cozied up in bed
The spontaneous hug of a child

Such delightful gifts are embarrassingly easy to overlook. Most of us are much too busy and moving too fast.

So how do we take hold of these subtle blessings and treasure them? The first five words of the verse give the answer. It happens when we worship the Lord our God.

I’m not talking about the hour or two we may spend in church sometime on Saturday or Sunday.

Worship means expressing to God his worth—his worth-ship. And it’s something we can enjoy all day, every day.

Yes, I said “enjoy,” because worship should be celebratory.

One means of celebrating our God is to express appreciation. “Always give thanks to God the Father for everything,” Paul recommended (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

As we begin to notice and appreciate all the delights God has bestowed, we experience a contentment and steadiness of spirit that defies explanation. And to be contented and steady is a very blessed way to live!

Another means of celebrating our God is to express praise. Gratitude expresses appreciation for what he’s done in the past, what he’s doing in the present, and what he will do in the future. Praise expresses admiration for who he is and honors him for his glorious attributes.

Attributes like:

Creativity, inspiring him to design tree branches that dance and sway in the breeze
Loving kindness, expressed with pleasurable gifts like raindrops rapping on the rooftop
Comfort, offered through the spontaneous hug of a child

As we begin to praise God for his attributes, we experience a change of perspective. Our attention moves from personal circumstances to God Almighty. He is:

Glorious in the splendor of his majesty
Capable of awesome works
Abundant in his goodness and compassionate on all he has made
Faithful to all his promises and righteous in all his ways

Interested in more descriptors? See Psalm 145!

Bottom line: When worship is an integral part of our lives, joy abounds, because God’s blessing rests upon us in all things!

“Worship the Lord your God and his blessing will be on your food and water” (Exodus 23:25a).

Such a simple exercise to implement; yet such astounding results.

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(Art & photo credits: http://www.lawlessgallery.com ; http://www.godwordistruth.wordpress.com ; http://www.lessonsinashell.blogspot.com )

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When Disaster Strikes

Posted in Faith, God, Perseverance, Suffering, Uncategorized, Worship, tagged Book of Job, Faith, God, Hebrews 13:15, Job, Perseverance, Suffering, Worship on June 17, 2013| 6 Comments »

Conventional wisdom teaches that we are in control of our own destinies, that hard work and perseverance will assure achievement of goals. To a point that’s true. Laziness and a lack of follow-through do not lead to success.

But. Those truisms fail when disaster strikes.

Ask Job; he’ll tell you. He was an extremely wealthy man. In fact, he was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

Job also enjoyed a large, loving family. His children liked each other so much they partied together.

Job was also a blameless and upright man—totally undeserving of what happened to him (Job 1:1-4).

He was stripped of everything. All of his wealth. All of his wonderful children.

Recent tornado victims know the magnitude of such horror. Home and all its contents, gone. Family members, gone. I can only imagine their emotional pain and heartache.

And what was Job’s reaction?

If you had asked me that question a couple of years ago, I would have answered that Job was incredibly accepting, that he did not blame God. And those statements are true.

But there’s more:

“Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head” (1:20a). OK, that makes sense. Those were customs of the day for expressing grief.

And then do you know what Job did?

“He fell to the ground in worship” (v. 20b).

What?! How can a person possibly worship at a time like that, when your whole world comes collapsing down around you?

All Job had left was his foundation—a foundation of faith in God.

Worship was his expression of that faith, declaring God’s worth to him—in spite of horrific calamity. For Job, God was enough.

From Job we learn that true worship is not reliant upon circumstances. We don’t have to be on top of the world to worship. In fact, a sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15) is surely very precious in God’s view.

Second, true worship is not reliant upon emotions. We don’t have to be filled with joy in order to worship. We can worship God with our tears, expressing our trust in spite of the pain.

Job couldn’t rely on answers that would give meaning for his suffering. God gave him none. What Job did rely upon was God’s character:

“His wisdom is profound, his power is vast” (9:4a).
“He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted” (9:10).
“If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it is a matter of justice who will summon him?” (9:19).
“You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit” (10:12).
“To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his (12:13).
“Can anyone teaching knowledge to God, since he judges even the highest?” (21:22).

In the end, knowing God is more important than knowing answers.

* * * * * * * * * *

Heavenly Father, I shake my head in wonder as people of faith such as Job neither blame you nor give up on you in the face of calamity. Instead, they rely upon you all the more tenaciously. They worship, affirming that you are still their sovereign, loving God. They testify of your strength and peace. Thank you for being a God who comes alongside us with your wisdom and grace, especially when we’re hurting. Thank you for powerful examples to follow, such as Job.

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More Meaningful Mishaps–on the Keyboard

Posted in Blessings, Encouragement, Faith, Generosity, God's Presence, Praise, Uncategorized, Worship, tagged Acts 16, Blessings, Chris Tomlin, Encouragement, Faith, God's Presence, Paul, Praise, Silas, Worship on May 13, 2013| 8 Comments »

Back in January I wrote a post about meaningful mishaps on the keyboard—typos with significance. Now, four months later, I’ve collected a few more.

Mishap #1:

I meant to type caring, but the screen showed daring. Actually, the two words can be used together in a meaningful way: Sometimes we must be daring in our caring.

My husband, Steve, is a generous tipper. He frequently dares to care with his wallet. Not that we have a lot of money to spare, but we’ve experienced time and again you can’t outgive God. His economy isn’t logical; it’s theological.

(Photo credit: TBoard)

A few years ago Steve was traveling out-of-state every few months to visit his elderly parents. Each time he would stay at a bed and breakfast near the assisted living home. Steve became well-acquainted with the B & B manager and always left her a gracious tip.

In December of 2011, Steve’s dad graduated to heaven. He had served God well and been a mentor to many. At age ninety-three, he was looking forward to meeting Jesus face to face.

Since we’d be needing several days’ accommodation, Steve called T. to see if she might have a room available for us at the B & B—even though it was very short notice.

“I can accommodate you the first three nights, but that last night, we’re full,” she responded. “However! There is no reason you and Nancy can’t stay with me. My apartment is good-sized, and you’ll have your own suite. In fact, I insist!”

Would T. have made such a generous offer, if Steve had not been so gracious to her? Probably. T is a very giving woman herself. I do know Steve did not give those generous tips in order to receive.

But when we dare to care, God often augments the results.

Mishap #2:

Imagine my surprise to look at the screen and see, not long-standing faith as I’d intended, but song-standing faith.

Turns out, that is quite meaningful. Frequently a song will lift my spirit and affirm my faith. Take Chris Tomlin’s song, Our God. Imagine an energized congregation singing the chorus with passion and volume:

Chris Tomlin performing a concert in Johnson City, Tennessee, November 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

And if our God is with us,
Then what can stand against us?
And if our God is for us,
Then who could ever stop us?

Such an experience has a powerful effect. I find myself standing up straighter. The concerns on my mind fade in importance, and my heart fills with confidence. Yes, song-standing faith works wonders! I need to avail myself of the opportunity more often.

Mishap #3:

The word was supposed to be dailyness, referring to the humdrum routine that occupies more of our time than we’d like. Instead, here’s what I typed: dailymess.

(Photo credit: WarzauWynn)

M-m-m. Another matter that occupies more of our time than we’d like: the messes we have to clean up, the interruptions, the unexpected turns of events. Such moments generate frustration and raise blood pressure. Not good!

So what do we do when the daily-ness of our lives, which is challenging enough, becomes daily-mess?

To begin, song-affirming faith (Mishaps #2) will certainly help. Remember Paul and Silas, missionaries who traveled far and wide to tell others about Jesus? While visiting Philippi, they stumbled into an awful mess, and ended up in prison. For all they knew, they could be killed the next day. And yet at midnight, these two were praying and singing hymns to God (Acts 16:25).

They were accessing song-affirming faith to combat the mess—the unexpected turn of events in their lives.

And why were Paul and Silas in prison in the first place? They had been daring and caring (Mishap #1, above). They had helped a slave girl, enraged the owners, and were arrested. BUT! God intervened in a miraculous way. An earthquake opened the prison doors. Paul, Silas and the other prisoners could have escaped, but didn’t. As a result, the jailer wanted to know about this Jesus they’d been praying to and singing about. He wanted to know how he and his family could have eternal life. The daring and caring of Paul and Silas paid great dividends—more souls for the kingdom of heaven! (See Acts 16 for the whole incredible story.)

Daring and caring. Song-affirming faith. Both combat the daily-mess of life.

* * * * * * * * *

Thank you, Father, for the affirmations you reveal through my keyboard mishaps: 1) You augment daring and caring to produce amazing results, and 2) Song-affirming faith ushers us into your presence where we experience your power and presence, and 3) You provide strength and perseverance to deal with the daily-mess of life.

Hallelujah! I give thanks to you with everything I’ve got! Your works are so great, worth a lifetime of study–endless enjoyment! Splendor and beauty mark your craft; your generosity never gives out, your miracles are your memorial. You are the God of Grace and the God of Love! (Taken from Psalm 111:1-4, The Message.)

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Water and Worship

Posted in Worship, tagged Worship on February 25, 2013| 7 Comments »

It is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, made up of two abundant elements, hydrogen and oxygen.

Simple and ordinary, yet absolutely indispensable for life. Water.

Did you know that water performs multiple functions in our bodies? I certainly didn’t.

1. Water helps regulate body temperature. It absorbs heat and releases excess heat as perspiration.

2. Water lubricates joints. It cuts down on friction that can cause injury.

3. Water protects our organs. It delivers the necessary nutrients and oxygen.

4. Water helps regulate blood pressure. As it moves through the blood vessels, water carries away other fluids. Vessels are not “pressured” with too much fluid so they can relax, and blood pressure is reduced.

5. Water detoxifies. It carries waste products away from cells.

6. Water even improves our moods. When all of the above is accomplished, we feel better. When we feel better, our moods are elevated.

And those are just a few examples of why our physical bodies need water every day.

Similarly, we also need worship every day—expressions of praise, adoration, and gratitude to our God. Water hydrates our bodies; worship hydrates our souls.

Did you know that worship performs multiple functions in our spirits? I certainly didn’t.

1. Worship regulates our spiritual temperature. For example: Are you hot under the collar with frustration? Are you sweating bullets of worry? Are you getting the cold shoulder from someone, and now you’re feeling chilly toward him or her? Worship helps to regulate our spirits while dealing with emotional ups and downs. A heavenly perspective calms the frustration and worry.

2. Worship lubricates our spiritual joints. Time spent in God’s presence, focused on his attributes, gives us the strength to press on, with greater ease.

3. Worship offers protection for our spirits. It’s like a fortress, a place of security and safety, where hope and strength are restored (Psalm 62:5-8).

4. Worship regulates the day-to-day pressures of too much to do and not enough time, of people pulling us in different directions, of a shrinking paycheck and mounting bills. As we worship our almighty, all-wise, loving God, the pressures of life subside.

5. Worship detoxifies our spirits. Spend a few moments in worship and feel the negativity and worry drain away. Into the resulting void God infuses perfect peace, as we keep our minds steadfast upon him (Isaiah 26:3). I have to admit: for me this is an ongoing process. Toxins can invade my spirit at least several times a day. But I am learning to acclaim my God more frequently, to walk in his presence more consistently, and praise-away the toxins (Psalm 89:15-17)!

6. Worship improves our moods. Solomon expressed the concept well: “The fear of the Lord leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble” (Proverbs 19:23). Surely contentment is the greatest ingredient of a good mood. Expressing my reverence and appreciation for God will help me develop that state of mind and spirit.

How can we incorporate the habit of daily worship into our busy routines? Perhaps it can begin with water. As we hydrate our bodies throughout the day, we can hydrate our spirits with worship at the same time.

DRINK UP AND LOOK UP!

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How has worship impacted your life? Please share your story in the Comments!

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Rainbow Reverie

Posted in Blessings, Encouragement, God, God's Goodness, God's Grace, Uncategorized, Worship, tagged Blessings, God's Creative Genius, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Grace, God's Promises, Rainbows, Worship on February 7, 2013| 13 Comments »

At Bible Study the other night we were discussing the wonders of creation as evidence of God’s glory (Isaiah 6:3). One woman shared that she and her husband had witnessed a triple rainbow once, while driving on the interstate. Each bow stretched from one side of the sky to the other in bright, glowing splendor. Vehicle after vehicle slowed, then pulled off the road, so the occupants could marvel at the spectacle.

Those of us at the table listened with wide-eyed wonder. We had witnessed double rainbows, but not a triple. Several of us had seen the same double rainbow after choir practice late last spring. It, too, extended completely from north to south in luminous brilliance. I remember thinking, If only we were on the plains of Kansas for this moment, so no buildings or trees blocked this view!

Even a single rainbow grabs our attention. The glowing colors, grand size, and rarity of rainbows all contribute to the wonder. And for those of us who know Creator God, we whisper a prayer of praise and adoration for this manifestation of his glory.

Did you Know…

…rainbows are caused by light being refracted (bent) while entering a droplet of water, then reflected inside on the back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it. It boggles my mind that light shining on tiny droplets of water, suspended in the air, can result in the astounding beauty of a rainbow. Give God a cup of water, and look what he can do!

In a double rainbow, a second arc is seen outside the primary arc. The order of its colors are reversed, red on the inside, violet on the outside. This second bow is caused by light reflecting twice inside water droplets. Once is amazing enough, but twice? You wouldn’t think droplets were big enough for a double phenomenon, much less a triple!

Descriptions of rainbows often include seven basic colors – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Actually, the rainbow is a whole continuum of colors from red to violet and even beyond to colors the human eye can’t see. Yes, according to the National Center of Atmospheric Research, there are more colors in the universe we haven’t seen–yet (http://eo.ucar.edu/rainbows/ ). But someday we’ll have eyes that can see all!

That brings me to…

The Rainbow of Heaven

Even in heaven, a rainbow encircles God’s throne (Ezekiel 1:28, Revelation 4:3), symbolic of God’s grace and faithfulness. Those attributes were highlighted when the first rainbow arched over the sky. Because of God’s grace and faithfulness, he promised Noah that never again would he flood the earth, even though “every inclination of [man’s] heart is evil from childhood” (Genesis 8:21). That first rainbow was a sign God would remain faithful to His promise (Genesis 9:12-17).

The rainbow in heaven is also a sign of God’s grace and faithfulness. John Gill asserts that the colors express His promises and blessings (www.bibletools.com ). Now that thought presents a challenge! What promise or blessing might each color represent? (Before you read on, you may wish to consider the possibilities.)

Red = the blood of Jesus, through which we have the promise and blessing of forgiveness of sin (Hebrews 9:14).

Orange = fruitfulness (John 15:5), providing the blessings of purpose and fulfillment in our lives. (Can you guess I live in Florida?)

Yellow = the light of God’s Word (Proverbs 6:20-23), giving us guidance, comfort, encouragement and more.

Green = the promise and blessing of everlasting life (1 John 5:11-12).

Blue = the skies and heaven, where someday we will enjoy eternity with our Heavenly Father (2 Peter 3:13).

Violet = royalty, because of the promise we will reign with Christ in his eternal kingdom (2 Timothy 2:12).

The next time a rainbow sweeps across the sky, we might remember these promises and blessings.

But rainbows can represent even more.

A Personal Rainbow

Several years ago, while sitting in the living room, I glanced down to discover a small but brilliant bit of rainbow shimmering on my leg. Revelation 4 had just recently been part of my Bible study, so the rainbow encircling the throne of God came to mind. At that moment in the living room, it was as if God had scooped up a bit of that ethereal rainbow and placed it on me, that God himself was personally touching me!

Now, when you or I reach out to touch a loved one, our unspoken message might be: “I love you; I’m here to empathize, to support, and infuse you with strength.” Well, that little rainbow “spoke” those words to me, from my Heavenly Father (even though it was caused by the beveled glass in the front door). It was a special moment of blessing and promise that brought tears to my eyes.

Of course, rainbows are not the only manifestations of God’s glory on earth. What rare and awe-inspiring moment have you experienced that “spoke” to you? “Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together” (Psalm 34:3). Share your story below in the comment box!

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The Name of God

Posted in Appreciation, God, Meditation, Prayer, Uncategorized, Worship, tagged Appreciation, God, God's Name, Meditation, Prayer, Worship on January 28, 2013| 8 Comments »

“Glorify the Lord with me” David invited. “Let us exalt his name together” (Psalm 34:3).

M-m-m. That’s puzzling. Why didn’t David say, “exalt his names?”

He has dozens—Creator, Father, Holy One, King, I AM, —to name just a few.

My question led to three observations.

One, most of us do have at least three names: first, last, and middle. Royals are often given multiple names. Prince William of Great Britain, for example, is actually William Arthur Philip Louis Windsor. Yet even when he’s asked to give his full name, that word “name” is used in singular form.

Two, most parents, including royalty, take great care in choosing names for their progeny. They not only consider how first, middle, and last sound when spoken together, they consider the meanings of the names.

Three, some moms and dads choose names that honor family members or friends. Perhaps they hope that the name will also bequeath to their child the positive traits and accomplishments of the honorees.

Based on these observations, it would seem appropriate to do the following when we desire to praise or rejoice in God’s name:

Think on at least several of his names
Consider their meanings, especially as they relate to personal experience
Meditate on the attributes and accomplishments of God associated with that name.

Let’s try it. The name-list above offers a start.

God of heaven and earth, you are Creator of all. My mind cannot begin to fathom your power, wisdom, and creative genius that brought this universe into existence—out of nothing. From vast planetary movements to intricate ecosystems, your divine proficiency produces perfect function.

You are the Holy One of the universe—completely righteous and totally separate from anything or anyone else. You are the only one who is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. There is no one like you.

Yet you are my Heavenly Father! You lovingly and patiently care for me, providing guidance and instruction on how best to live. You graciously bestow blessings—sometimes the desires of my heart, and sometimes serendipity gifts that I haven’t even asked for.

You are the King of the universe, in control of everything. But unlike some overlords, you know what you’re doing. Everything you do is perfect. I can trust you with the concerns of my life because of your great wisdom and understanding.

You are the great I AM, who always was and always will be. You live in a perpetual present tense. And you are always the same—dependable and faithful, loving and gracious to your children.

Thank you, God, for revealing these names to us—and many more. They help us to understand who you are and how you respond to your children. And as we meditate upon them, our hearts are filled with wordless wonder and overwhelming gratitude.

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Meaningful Mishaps–on the Keyboard

Posted in Appreciation, Blessings, Encouragement, God, God's Goodness, Hope, Uncategorized, Worship, tagged Appreciation, Blessings, Encouragement, God's Goodness, Gratitude, Hope, Meditation, Obedience, Worship on January 24, 2013| 12 Comments »

Wisdom dictates that we learn from our mistakes. Better yet is to learn from the mistakes of others, and save the trouble of making them ourselves.

Listed below are a few of my recent mistakes, which may provide a learning opportunity. Actually, they’re typing errors—typos with significance!

Example #1:

Instead of thankfulness, I typed thinkfulness.

My mistake reminded me of a quote I read years ago: “If we would think more, we would thank more.”

And why is thankfulness a worthwhile pursuit? According to recent research, multiple benefits result from expressing gratitude:

• Better physical health
• Better sleep
• Better relationships
• Lower stress levels
• More optimistic attitude
• Longer life

Seems like scripture was right all along: “Whatever is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things…And the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9) That’s the bottom line, isn’t it? Peace of mind and heart contributes to the items on that list. And gratitude is key.

Example #2:

I meant to type worship, but what appeared on the screen was workship.

The truth is, worship does involve work. Not the work of getting to church on time, or the effort of tuning out distractions to focus on God. As valuable as those objectives are, there’s more.

Paul tells us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is our spiritual act of worship (Romans 12:1). True worship involves the work of obedience.

But again, God provides benefits that far outweigh the effort. Psalm 112 reveals a number of them:

• Households are blessed (vs. 2-3)
• God’s light breaks through the darkness (v. 4)
• Goodness comes (v. 5)
• Strength develops (vs. 6-7)
• Joy and peace fill the heart (v. 8)

No doubt there are dozens more scattered through scripture. That’s one of the things I greatly appreciate about our God. When He asks us to work at something, and we comply, He generously blesses us!

Example #3:

Somehow my stumbling fingers produced medication on my computer screen instead of meditation.

It occurred to me, though, that meditating upon God and His Word works like medication to:

• Ease the aches and pains of life, such as miserable circumstances or hurtful people
• Calm the acid of frustration
• Speed the healing of stinging remarks and wounded feelings

“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul” (Psalm 19:7a)!

Example #4:

I saved the best for last. My intention was to make this point:

It is our responsibility and joy to “minister encouragement and hope into the lives of others.”

That’s what I meant. Here’s what I typed:

“Minister encouragement and hope into the livers of others.”

Wings of Encouragement

Quite silly at first glance; quite profound after some introspection.

You see, everything that goes into our body goes through the liver. It is in the liver that transformation takes place, the food we eat becoming nutrients.

Here’s the application: In order for our words of encouragement to be transformational, they must sink deep into the core of our listener. The comments need to be thoughtful and spoken with conviction. Glib platitudes will never nourish a hungry soul.

Another interesting fact about the liver: To some extent, this organ is able to remove toxins from the body. That’s what we can do with our words of hope. We can help overcome the toxins that have collected in a person’s spirit.

So, my friends, let’s:

Be thinkful in our thankfulness.

Embrace obedience as a spiritual act of workship.

Meditate on God and His Word, as medication for our souls.

Minister heartfelt encouragement and hope into the livers of others.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

And please share the outcomes of your efforts to make something meaningful out of these mishaps!

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My Soul Exalts the Lord

Posted in Appreciation, Christmas, Worship, tagged Appreciation, Attention on Jesus at Christmas, Christmas, Worship on December 24, 2012| 4 Comments »

Dad has a large collection of Bibles in many different versions. Recently he gave me two of them. Very precious gifts, indeed. They represent countless hours of study and recording, because the margins are filled with his notes.

When I say countless, I’m not exaggerating. On numerous pages, Dad has squeezed five or six lines of fine, tiny printing in the upper margin, a space just ¾” wide. I almost need a magnifying glass.

To read his collection of word meanings, explanations, and applications has been bittersweet. Dad now has severe arthritis and Parkinson’s disease. Although he is still an avid reader, he is no longer able to write.

As Christmas has approached, I’ve wondered, what might Dad have written in his Bibles about the birth of Jesus?

The first note that caught my attention was from his New American Standard, Ryrie Study Bible (1976, Moody Press). The note concerns Mary’s song, the Magnificat, found in Luke 1:46-55). We looked at her beautiful prayer last Thursday, in the post titled, “Mary’s Song.”

Mary began her song by saying, “My soul exalts the Lord” (NAS). The New International Version translates that sentence, “My soul glorifies the Lord.”

Before we proceed to the quote itself, let’s examine those words, exalt and glorify. (No doubt that’s what Dad would do. And surely somewhere in one of these two Bibles I’ll come across a pithy definition or two for exalt and glorify. For now, I’m on my own!)

Exalt means to raise in status, to elevate, to glorify and praise.

Glorify means to give glory, honor, or high praise, to exalt.

Put in simple terms: to exalt and glorify is to compliment truthfully and profusely.

Now here’s what Dad wrote:

To exalt the Lord at Christmas, we need to refocus our attention on the event we celebrate rather than on the celebration of the event.

Oh, Lord Jesus. My eyes fill with tears as I think of all the times my attention has been on the celebration and not on the sacred moment when you became flesh and made your dwelling among us. Too often my focus has been on…

…the gifts under the tree instead of the implausible Gift of Yourself. You left the glorious riches of heaven, to be born into the depravity of humanity. I cannot fathom the depth of such love.

…the joyous, boisterous family get-togethers, instead of the supernatural get-together of all believers (including me, of all people) and God Almighty. Your birth, and especially your death and resurrection make our relationship with you possible. I cannot fathom that kind of sacrifice.

…the decorations and twinkling lights that make the house sparkle and glow, instead of You, the Light of the world, who makes my sin-bent heart sparkle and glow. I cannot fathom such transformation.

For these last precious hours of the Christmas season, 2012, I want to focus on You. I want to give you honor and praise for everything Your birth has made possible: the experience of your love, the benefit of your sacrifice, and the glorious transformation you generate within each of us. In the name of our Savior, Christ the Lord, Amen.

*See the post titled, “Mary’s Song,” from December 20, 2012.

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God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

Posted in Blessings, Christmas, God's Power, God's Presence, Uncategorized, Worship, tagged Christmas, God rest you merry gentlemen, God's Power, God's Presence, Praise, Worship on December 13, 2012| 13 Comments »

As I was decorating the house for Christmas and listening to carols, “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” caught my attention. The words proclaim the joyous news of “Jesus Christ our Savior, born on Christmas Day, to save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray.” Yet the tune is in minor key, which gives the song an air of sadness. My curiosity kicked in (it doesn’t take much), wanting to know why the composer would make such a choice.

After a bit of research, here’s what I discovered: This is an old carol, dating back to 15th century England. The composer is unknown, so we have no record of the musical/ lyrical choices he made. However, we can make an educated guess about his motivation, to answer the question why he wrote this carol.

Church music of that time was rather dreary, and sung in Latin. The common folk would never have been allowed to compose music for worship, especially in English. So historians surmise that a peasant wrote this song, perhaps to be sung in his own home.

(May I be so bold as to suggest a woman may have created the song, as a diversion during household chores?!)

Whatever its inception, the carol grew in popularity and soon was sung by many. It remained a favorite through subsequent generations and was finally published in 1833. Charles Dickens even chose the song for a scene in The Christmas Carol (1843):

“…at the first sound of — ‘God bless you merry, gentlemen! May nothing you dismay!’— Scrooge seized the ruler with such energy of action that the singer fled in terror, leaving the keyhole to the fog and even more congenial frost.”

Back to the question that began this investigation: Why such a positive message expressed with such a sad-sounding tune? Without much background information to go on, my curiosity has to be satisfied with conjecture. What would be a logical explanation for uplifting words set in a minor-key?

Perhaps the composer was trying to express the dichotomy in which we live.

First, the minor key suggests the sad reality that we live in a world oppressed by “Satan’s power” (from verse 1 of the carol). He is a roaring lion, prowling around for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8) with his lies and temptations. And what do lions choose to prey upon? The weakest of creatures who cannot easily flee.

The second half of the dichotomy comes from the cheerful lyrics, retelling the glorious story of Jesus’ birth. The chorus resounds again and again with “tidings of comfort and joy.” Why? “This day is born a Savior of virtue, power, and might” (from verse 3 of the carol).

And now the icing on the cake. (Or, more appropriately for this time of year, the star on top of the tree!) This Savior of virtue, power, and might is in us! Somehow His Spirit entwines with each of ours. We can experience His comfort and joy, just as the carol proclaims.

Yet there’s more. We can experience His presence. We can rest in His peace, rely upon His wisdom, and go to Him for help and guidance. Not even these seven blessings cover the gamut of His loving-kindness to us.

Now, because our Savior of virtue, power, and might lives within us, we are not weak creatures, who cannot easily flee that roaring, prowling lion called Satan. Jesus, our Lord and Savior, is much greater than he is (1 John 4:4)!

My heart almost skips a beat, just thinking about such astounding realities. With a humbled, grateful, merry heart, I “now to the Lord sing praises” (verse 6 of the carol)–enthusiastically!

Will you join me?

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The Right Hand of God

Posted in God's Protection, Worship, tagged God, God's right hand, Psalm 109:31, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 16:8, Psalm 17:7, Psalm 18:35, Psalm 48:10, Worship on November 26, 2012| 4 Comments »

See if this sounds familiar: You’re reading along in the Bible when you come upon a phrase you’ve seen before, maybe even many times. But suddenly the realization dawns. You don’t really know what that phrase means.

That was my experience as I read this verse: “I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken” (Psalm 16:8). I had to wonder, what is so significant about God’s right hand?

After a bit of research, here is what I discovered.

1) In Bible times, the position to the right was considered a place of honor. This concept is seen at its finest in Hebrews 1:3 where Jesus “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” But according to Psalm 16:8 (above), he is in the place of honor in my life and yours. With our reverence and obedience we can demonstrate our honor of him.

2) If a man has God at his right hand, it means God’s shield is next to him. God’s sword arm is free to deal with the enemy. Visualize yourself walking behind that impenetrable shield. And in his right hand, God wields His sword, ready to strike down the enemy—Satan and his demons. “He stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save his life from those who condemn him” (Psalm 109:31). I love that visualization of God on the offensive for us.

3) A bride stands with the groom on her right, symbolizing the groom’s protection. The Lord Jesus is our Bridegroom and we, his church, are the bride (Revelation 21:1-3). David proclaimed God’s protective right hand in Psalm 17:7. “You…save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes,” he said. God is our undefeated defense.

4) For many of us the right side of our bodies is stronger than the left. Perhaps David had that idea in mind when he wrote, “Your right hand sustains me” (Psalm 18:35b). And what does sustain mean? Uphold, encourage, and affirm. Imagine God’s right hand upholding you—day in and day out. Just the warmth and strength flowing from his touch has the power to encourage and affirm.

5) In addition to extra strength on the right, most of us have extra dexterity in our right hands. We use that hand for writing, drawing, cutting, and other such tasks. Any good handwork is accomplished with that dominant hand. So what comes from God’s right hand? The psalmist proclaimed: “Your right hand is filled with righteousness,” (48:10). Everything God does is good and morally correct. He always gives his best to his work.

I thank you, Father, for the many times I have been protected, sustained, and blessed by your right hand. If you never lifted your hand again on my behalf I would have no cause for complaint. And yet you have promised us “eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Psalm 16:11c). I bow before you in wordless wonder.

(Photo credit: sonfeld.wordpress.com.)

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The Right Hand of God

Nancy Ruegg

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