Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Worship (Day 16): Going Public

 If you're reading my 31-day series on Worship for the first time, consider clicking over here to my Day 1 post to see the introduction and to find the rest of the posts in the series!




Fitting neatly in its box, worship arrives on Sunday morning, amongst other believers, in a dark room known as the "sanctuary." We lift our hands, if we dare, knowing that those around us will not scoff or ridicule-- in fact, we might even be looked upon with even greater respect when we're bold enough to open up.

But what about when the Sunday sun sets and there's no dark room full of like-minded people?

Worship isn't meant to be confined to a room of Christians or a private quiet time. Although genuine, unhindered, beautiful worship can occur in the loneliest moments, it should also happen among the nations (or your next-door neighbor). Consider David's words as He praised the Lord through psalms:
"I will praise you, LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples." -Psalm 108:3
 If I were to list the number of times that David claims to praise the Lord "among the nations," you'd grow tired of its repetitiveness because he says it all.the.time. Yet isn't it a good reminder?

"Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth." -v. 5
If we truly do believe that our God is so great and full of awe, mighty and gracious and creator of all, we will humbly "go public" with our worship. After all, if we have seen something beautiful and breathtaking right before our eyes, wouldn't we share it?

Believe me, I would love to cross the ocean today and share with the nations in their own homes. I would love to worship God in a place where Satan runs rampant, destroying his territory of darkness with the piercing light of Jesus. But the truth of the matter is that I am here and the nations are here. So until I am blessed with another opportunity to hop on a plane, I choose to worship amongst my neighbors, co-workers, and students. I choose to worship at the grocery store. I choose to humbly worship wherever I go, because I am here and I truly believe that God is great... so shouldn't everyone else know too?



...and because sometimes it's just so hard to remember, please please please look up Ellie Holcomb's "My Heart is Steadfast," a song that you'll gladly get stuck in your head. Remember Psalm 108 today, friends, and worship.

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