Awaken the Dawn!

Psalm 108:1-5

I love David's passion around worship and music.  I think we sometimes forget this man was a world ruler, yet he loved to lose himself in worship towards God for all the nations to see and hear.  Music was his tool.  David understood and embraced music as a powerful tool of worship.  I long to worship like that, to embrace music for its intended purpose.  I believe everyone has this desire built in them to worship God with our fullest emotions and in complete abandon.  At some point, we just begin to suppress it or de-value its importance.  Music is a powerful key to the heart.  It is the language of emotions, and it is not something to shy away from when we use it in worship toward God.  Instead we should fully embrace music as David did.  David told the instruments to wake up because he was going to awaken the dawn with his praise to God!  I love that!

What if all those who were followers of Christ had this perspective of worship and acted accordingly?  

Awaken the Dawn!

Who is Like the Lord our God?

Psalm 113

This Psalmist's first words are "Praise the Lord!" and his last words are "Praise the Lord!" and right in the middle there is this question, "Who is like the Lord our God?"  What a great question to ponder and reflect on in the middle of our worship.  Do you remind yourself of your answer to this question?  If we don't remember our answer to this question, our worship will become religiously robotic, unauthentic, and stale.  The Psalmist recalls what can be done by only the Lord our God.  Maybe we should consistently write our own personal Psalm 113.

My personal Psalm 113:

Praise the Lord!  Who is like the Lord our God?  Who can bring salvation and hope to a life that does not deserve it?  Who has authored all of creation yet longs for personal interaction with me? He chooses to use me in His epic plan that spans eternity.  He has given me true life.  He has given me freedom.  His love never fails.  Praise the Lord!

-Brandon-

Pay Back Through Praise

Psalm 116

Do I see all the great things God has done for me? For all of that, what can I possibly give back? How can I pay him back, if even a small portion? This is the question the Psalmists answers. His solution is praising God in the congregation. Public worship for all to hear and take part in: celebrating God's salvation, calling on the name of the Lord, paying public vows to the Lord, and offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving.

Corporate praise is the opportunity to remember what God has done and publicly pay him back. Twice the Psalmist declares: "Oh may it be in the presence of all His people." He passionately wants to praise God with others. What would happen to our times of praise through music and corporate scripture reading if we all truly had this mindset? It is pay back time!