Wow

May 13, 2010
Read Psalms 70-73

Ps 71:22-23 I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. 23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you — I, whom you have redeemed. 24 My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion.

I AM THINKING right now of church—you know, that place where people go on Sunday. It’s the place where music is played, and songs are sung—kind of.

What I see in too many of us is “worship restraint”. Like shackles on a prisoner’s legs, we have shackles on our tongues. We’re scared someone might hear us singing. We’re afraid raising our hands might look dumb. We’re concerned we don’t know the words. We’re all looking at we. Or should I say, I’m looking at me.

In other words, when we come to worship God, we really don’t WORSHIP GOD, we guard ourselves and our emotions. We don’t want to offend anyone with outbursts of PRAISE! And we don’t want them to offend us.

The trouble is, I think we’re offending God.

David PRAISED God because he knew what mighty acts God had done. David’s lips praised God because he knew God had saved him from his enemies.

God had saved him from his enemies—think about that. God offers the same salvation to you. Your enemies may be a bad relationship with a child, a bitter memory of an angry parent, a frustration with perceived failure. And the list goes on.

Give those enemies to God. He rescues you from all types of enemies, even the enemy of death.

And when you do, and you understand what a great gift it is to be rescued from all your enemies, then unloose those shackles. Go to church and SHOUT FOR JOY. Clap your hands. Praise your God. Let him know you REJOICE in his faithfulness that frees you from your enemies, the things that take you away from him.

And when you do, you, too, will sing Ps 72:18-19 “Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. 19 Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.”

So be it, Lord. Wow!