Joyful Worship!
“Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before Him, singing with joy.”
Psalm 100:2 (NLT)
Is your worship joyful? It’s not the style of worship that matters, but the heart of the worshiper. The psalmist said, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” Psalm 122:1 (NLT) But from the looks of some ‘worshippers, ’ it appears more like, “I was sad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” Or “I was mad….’” What’s your disposition in worship?
You and I have the opportunity to gather with fellow Christ followers this weekend to magnify the Lord in glad, joyful worship! It begins with an attitude of anticipation before you get to church.
When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well who was steeped in her own tradition of worship, He gave us all some insight into the heart of worship that God desires in John 4:23-24 (MSG) where Jesus said, “The time is coming—it has, in fact, come—when what you're called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter. It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before Him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship Him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.”
Let this prime your pump for worship this weekend. It certainly did the Psalmist who wrote: “One day spent in your house, this beautiful place of worship, beats thousands spent on Greek island beaches. I'd rather scrub floors in the house of my God than be honored as a guest in the palace of sin.” Psalm 84:10 (MSG)
If you want to experience a heart of worship like that, start by worshiping with gladness this weekend at church!
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.