Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from The Global Church of the Nazarene's Foundry Publishing House in Kansas City Missouri United States for Tuesday, 23 January 2018 "Made for Worship" by Billy Huddleston
"Made for Worship"
Psalm 73:1 A psalm of Asaf:
(1) How good God is to Isra’el,
to those who are pure in heart!
2 But as for me, I lost my balance,
my feet nearly slipped,
3 when I grew envious of the arrogant
and saw how the wicked prosper.
4 For when their death comes, it is painless;
and meanwhile, their bodies are healthy;
5 they don’t have ordinary people’s troubles,
they aren’t plagued like others.
6 So for them, pride is a necklace;
and violence clothes them like a robe.
7 Their eyes peep out through folds of fat;
evil thoughts overflow from their hearts.
8 They scoff and speak with malice,
they loftily utter threats.
9 They set their mouths against heaven;
their tongues swagger through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return here
and [thoughtlessly] suck up that whole cup of water.
11 Then they ask, “How does God know?
Does the Most High really have knowledge?”
12 Yes, this is what the wicked are like;
those free of misfortune keep increasing their wealth.
13 It’s all for nothing that I’ve kept my heart clean
and washed my hands, staying free of guilt;
14 for all day long I am plagued;
my punishment comes every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will talk like them,”
I would have betrayed a generation of your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this,
I found it too hard for me —
17 until I went into the sanctuaries of God
and grasped what their destiny would be. (Complete Jewish Bible)
***
Asaph was appointed by the king to be a worshiper (1 Chronicles 6:39). This wasn’t a one-time appointment; it was a lifetime calling (16:37). Yet even worshipers can lose heart. How do you follow when all you want to do is quit?
Asaph’s psalm is filled with raw emotion. At first it seems that he had lost focus and forgotten his purpose. Looking around at others had seemingly brought him to his lowest point and caused him to question his purpose. It was a battle that almost got the best of him.
The shift came when he made the decision not to dwell long in his questioning. Instead, he chose to get back to what he was called to be: a worshiper. He determined to “enter the sanctuary of God” and his perspective changed. That decision set his focus on One who was greater than this world or anything it could offer.
Our tendency is to become distracted. It’s natural to become discouraged. In those moments, however, we must remember the decision that Asaph made: Don’t remain in that despair! Choose to worship! There is no greater purpose!
Hymn for today: "Be Still, My Soul" by Katharina von Schlegl; translated by Jane L. Borthwick
1. Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heav’nly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
2. Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.
3. Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.
4. Be still, my soul: the hour is hast’ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
5. Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well-pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine
Though for Today: God is spirit; and worshippers must worship him spiritually and truly.”(John 4:24)
Please pray: For the development of Christian leaders in Norway.
***
Psalm 73:1 A psalm of Asaf:
(1) How good God is to Isra’el,
to those who are pure in heart!
2 But as for me, I lost my balance,
my feet nearly slipped,
3 when I grew envious of the arrogant
and saw how the wicked prosper.
4 For when their death comes, it is painless;
and meanwhile, their bodies are healthy;
5 they don’t have ordinary people’s troubles,
they aren’t plagued like others.
6 So for them, pride is a necklace;
and violence clothes them like a robe.
7 Their eyes peep out through folds of fat;
evil thoughts overflow from their hearts.
8 They scoff and speak with malice,
they loftily utter threats.
9 They set their mouths against heaven;
their tongues swagger through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return here
and [thoughtlessly] suck up that whole cup of water.
11 Then they ask, “How does God know?
Does the Most High really have knowledge?”
12 Yes, this is what the wicked are like;
those free of misfortune keep increasing their wealth.
13 It’s all for nothing that I’ve kept my heart clean
and washed my hands, staying free of guilt;
14 for all day long I am plagued;
my punishment comes every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will talk like them,”
I would have betrayed a generation of your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this,
I found it too hard for me —
17 until I went into the sanctuaries of God
and grasped what their destiny would be. (Complete Jewish Bible)
***
Asaph was appointed by the king to be a worshiper (1 Chronicles 6:39). This wasn’t a one-time appointment; it was a lifetime calling (16:37). Yet even worshipers can lose heart. How do you follow when all you want to do is quit?
Asaph’s psalm is filled with raw emotion. At first it seems that he had lost focus and forgotten his purpose. Looking around at others had seemingly brought him to his lowest point and caused him to question his purpose. It was a battle that almost got the best of him.
The shift came when he made the decision not to dwell long in his questioning. Instead, he chose to get back to what he was called to be: a worshiper. He determined to “enter the sanctuary of God” and his perspective changed. That decision set his focus on One who was greater than this world or anything it could offer.
Our tendency is to become distracted. It’s natural to become discouraged. In those moments, however, we must remember the decision that Asaph made: Don’t remain in that despair! Choose to worship! There is no greater purpose!
Hymn for today: "Be Still, My Soul" by Katharina von Schlegl; translated by Jane L. Borthwick
1. Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heav’nly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
2. Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.
3. Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.
4. Be still, my soul: the hour is hast’ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
5. Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well-pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine
Though for Today: God is spirit; and worshippers must worship him spiritually and truly.”(John 4:24)
Please pray: For the development of Christian leaders in Norway.
***
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