Week 3, Day 2
Begin with 2 minutes of silence
Scripture : Psalm 19 For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. 3 They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. 4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. 6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. 10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. 11 By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. 12 But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. 14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Devotional : Honest Worship
by Addison Hawes
Through my high school years, I have experienced a great deal of change in my priorities, friends, and attitudes. Some for the better and some for the worse. Perhaps the thing that has transformed me most has been serving on the worship team here at Pullman Foursquare. I took piano for years, struggling with a performance mindset, but discovered a new passion for playing when I joined team.
I still struggle with performing and putting myself out there, but I have discovered the joy and comfort of praising God as I step out of my comfort zone. And, my passion for worship music has led me to scripture, and finding the beauty and glory of God in its verses.
C.S. Lewis called Psalms 19 “The greatest poem in the Psalter and one of the greatest lyrics in the world.” This is definitely one of those passages that washes peace over me, and the kind of scriptures that I have been drawn to lately. I love finding similarities between the worship in Psalms and our modern worship. In one of my favorite worship songs “So Will I”, by Hillsong United, the bridge of the song directly reminds me of this Psalm:
“If the stars were made to worship - so will I
If the mountains bow in reverence - so will I
If the oceans roar Your greatness - so will I ... If the wind goes where You send it - so will I
If the rocks cry out in silence - so will I”
"I am sensing the voice of God calling me turn toward Him and to release my own sincere - not performance driven - worship..."
There are struggles I have had to overcome while performing worship. I often find that I focus too much on how my worship sounds, rather than what my worshipping from my heart. I am sensing the voice of God calling me turn toward Him and to release my own sincere - not performance driven - worship; praising like the universe does, without voices and without human communication, but with the meditations of my heart, and actions “that are pleasing to God.”
Question to Consider:
How can you praise and give glory to God in your life? How can you practice it sincerely and without the attention of others?
Prayer
Father, I confess that sometimes the things I call worship to you are really a performance for the sake of others. I again turn my attention and affection to you. “May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord my Rock and my redeemer.”
Close with 2 minutes of silence
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