"Let us then approach the throne of Grace with confidence. So that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
In and about his daily work, Moses headed off with his sheep to the wilderness...he came to the "mountain of God" Horeb. There he saw the angel of the Lord in the blazing bush that burned but wasn't consumed. Moses didn't try and talk himself out of seeing something miraculous. Instead he said "I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why is the bush not burned up?"
And in this turning aside, in his pausing in the wilderness, Moses encountered the living God, the God he'd spent forty years trying to grasp, the God who had delivered him from an angry king. Now deliverance came in another form, a deeper manner. Through worship, the burning heart of God took up resident in Moses' chest, and God's passion ignited him. He still had questions but worship transformed the refugee, prince, and murderer into a mighty leader!
God's demand on Pharoah holds for us as well "Let my people go so that they may worship me in the desert" (Exodus 7:16) All of life will conspire to keep us from worship but our choice, or freedom decision in the wilderness is to worship and worship gives birth to freedom.
We give our anxieties far too much time...and God far too little time. Reversing the system and realigning our priorities diminishes the anxiety. When we worship God in spite of the evidence that our life is a wreck, that our neat little world is swirling around under us...even though it's the most countercultural form of obedience we will muster. God comes near.
Worship intends to bring you into relationship with the One who created you and gave you life...the One who has provided your salvation and who promises to stand by you forever (Praise You Jesus!)...this is no small purpose or modest agenda. It may take a wilderness to thrust us into that place of relationship, and dependence.
Why worship in the near-desperation of the desert? easy...because God deserves it. We direct our souls to God because of His glory. Not because our life is peachy and perfect but because the One who loves us is Holy, compassionate, all powerful, all present, wonderful, all knowing. His hopes and dreams for us are beyond our most creative imaginings! We worship because in all the chaos and insanity of life, our heart longs for someone to hold us and guide us through the blind alleys of life. We have that someone in our Savior.
"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens" Psalm 68:19
Worship also brings perspective. The scriptures tell us "Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10) and in worship we realize anew that "I can't be God here...I can't POSSIBLY figure this out..." We worship because of God's goodness to put us into a place of trust where He can deliver.
Miraculously, here again, God does this paradox thing...we give and He gives back abundantly. Worship according to the Scriptures gives strength. Notice the order of Psalm 29...the writer says..." Ascribe to the Lord glory (v.1)" and proceeding from that rightful praise, "The Lord gives strength to His people. The Lord blessed them with peace (v.11)."
In the emptiness of the desert...Praise is the secret to fullness. (Psalm 63:18)
To my audience of One
You are Father and You are Son
As Your spirit flows free
Let it find within me
A heart that beats to Praise You
and now just to know You more
has become my great reward
To see Your kingdom come
and Your will be done
I only desire to be Yours, Lord
No comments:
Post a Comment