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Are you a worshipper?
In my quiet time today I was reading Psalm 113 and was immediately struck by the writer’s passion for praise and worship. He jumps straight in with the words, ‘Praise the Lord, praise O servants of the Lord. Let the name of the Lord be praised.’ His focus is on the greatness and praiseworthiness of God, and he is exhorting us all to be a praising people, extolling the name of the Lord. The name of the Lord is never just a word, but is the expression of who God is, the fullness and wonder of his character and ways. As we declare his name God’s power is made manifest and the devil defeated.
I would love to have a heart to worship the Lord like this writer. Sometimes I get very pulled down by life or the negativity of the news and social media. People’s opinions tug me this way and that till I feel overwhelmed, but God is challenging me through this Psalm to make worshipping him my heart focus. There is no one like our God, no greater compassion, no higher power. How can I allow myself to get sucked down into negativity when the awesome creator of this universe and beautiful redeemer of my soul are with me always?
The Psalmist asks, ‘Who is like the Lord our God?’ This question springs out of his wonder as he sees the things the Lord is doing. ‘He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap . . .’ Do I take time to look around me and see the evidence of God’s love and power at work? I find my love for him rises within me as I hear testimonies from those who have experienced his help or empowering in a wonderful way. I can choose to let such testimonies slip from me, like water from a duck’s back, or let them become a doorway through which I grow in my love of God. I need to take moments to earth answered prayers in my innermost being, so creating a well of natural praise within me. As I treasure the simplest answered prayers,my expectation will increase to see God working in amazing ways to heal and save. The Psalmist ends on such a note as he visualises God’s work to bring joy and fulfilment to the barren woman. We hear so many stories of disaster and loss, but God’s story is always one of joy and hope. It’s incredible that as we choose to worship and lift up his name, the very atmosphere around us is changed and even those who are hard, become aware of ‘something being different.’
I know I want to be someone who impacts the atmosphere in that way. I want to truly become a worshipper, someone who both starts and ends the day with a heart full of praise.
