Today during our worship service, I felt bathed in the love of the Lord. I don't believe how I feel is important to worshipping the Lord. Singing the songs and participating in corporate worship is not meant to be for me, but I think too often in this day and age we are looking for what we can get out of the experience. That is normal to a point and I think there are some reasons that are appropriate for leaving a church. During the last year I have been trying to focus on God and my relationship with Him as I worship. Posting Songs On Sunday has come out of that. There are some Sundays when I need to close my eyes to keep my brain thinking about my family, my comfort level, my clothes, what other people are doing, what I need to do that afternoon or during the week etc. Since doing this I find that I can appreciate my time worshipping Him more.
Then there are days like today.
Today I felt bathed in the presence of the Holy Spirit and wanted to sing my heart out! Unfortunately allergies are making my voice crack, but I felt the joy anyway, more than I usually do. After a stressful week of doctor appointments, kids going crazy with allergy symptoms and a lot of other things going on, this JOY felt like a gift from HIM!
Rialto Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington
Bumblebee and Fireweed
"Praise to the Lord, the Almighty"
by Joachim Neander, 1650-1680
Translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878
1. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is Thy Health and Salvation!
Join the full throng:
Wake, harp and psalter and song;
Sound forth in glad adoration!
2. Praise to the Lord, who o'er all things so wondrously reigneth,
Who, as on wings of an eagle, uplifteth, sustaineth.
Hast thou not seen
How thy desires all have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?
3. Praise to the Lord, who hath fearfully, wondrously, made thee;
Health hath vouchsafed and, when heedlessly falling, hath stayed thee.
What need or grief
Ever hath failed of relief?--
Wings of His mercy did shade thee.
4. Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee,
Who from the heavens the streams of His mercy doth send thee.
Ponder anew
What the Almighty can do,
Who with His love doth befriend thee.
5. Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him!
Let the Amen
Sound from His people again;
Gladly for aye we adore Him.
Doe and Fawn, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park, Washington
What can I add to that old German Lutheran hymn! Isn't it beautiful? It's rich and beautiful and wonderful and I can't help but think that the author had a heart bursting with joy, trying to express his love for God.
Psalm 100
A psalm.
For giving thanks.
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
From NIV courtesy of Bible Gateway
I'm sorry that blogger makes the lines come across weird. We read this responsively as a congregation. This is a practice that many modern churches have written off as old fashioned or too "stiff". Personally, I think there is something powerful about all those voices joined together speaking His Living Word.
Deer at Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park, Washington One of the things I am looking forward to when God restores us to a new Earth is seeing how the animals will be different - when they will be how God created them to be, as we will be. The Bible says that if we fail to praise Him, even the stones will cry out. The Psalms write about Creation singing praises to its Creator. Everything that God created is already so amazing, I can't wait to see His original Design!
Mount Olympus from Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park
Give thanks to the Lord
Our God and King
His love endures forever
For He is good, He is above all things
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
With a mighty hand and outstretched arm
His love endures forever
For the life that's been reborn
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise
Yeah
Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever
Forever
From the rising to the setting sun
His love endures forever
By the grace of God
We will carry on
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise
Yeah
Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever
Forever
Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever
Forever
Forever
His love endures forever
His love endures forever
His love endures forever
Forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise
Yeah
Forever you are faithful
Forever you are strong
Forever you are with us
Forever
And ever
Chris Tomlin
Rialto Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington
6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made,
their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
he puts the deep into storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the LORD;
let all the people of the world revere him.
Psalm 36:6-8
Three of the most precious gifts He has given me - D, J, A.
Maybe as you read this, you don't feel like praising Him. We all feel like that at times. As in our earthly relationships, it's not about what we feel. Love is when the relationship keeps on going and growing in spite of how you "feel". Be patient. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you!
No comments:
Post a Comment