Word-Filled Wednesday ~#79~ Worship ~ There's a Reason

"After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness as they went out at the head of the army saying:

'Give thanks to the LORD,

for His love endures forever.'"

~2 Chronicles 20:21

"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

Worship the LORD with gladness;

come before Him with joyful songs . . . 

Enter His gates with thanksgiving

and His courts with praise;

give thanks to Him and praise His

name." 

~Psalm 100:1,2,4

 Playing my hammered dulcimer on a praise team.

There is hardly anything I enjoy more that to sing praise and worship to the Lord. Most churches have a sort of "schedule" that they follow each Sunday and most congregations join their hearts and voices in worship just before the Pastor blesses us with the sermon the Lord has laid upon his heart to preach.

Why is it that we worship before the sermon? It's not an accident. 

Scripture tells us to sing our praises to the Lord 85 times! In Old Testament Scripture, repeating something 3 times makes it supremely important, what do you think 85 times means? I'd say . . . important.

The Lord uses music in our lives for many reasons ~ 

~to lead His people into battle (Joshua 6, 2 Chron. 20:18-22)

~to prepare our hearts to come into His presence (Ps. 100:1-2) 

~to remind ourselves of our safety in Him (Ps. 91)

~the stars and all creation sings their own songs to the Lord (Job 38:7, Ps. 104, Ps. 148)

~the angels praise Him (Ps. 148)

~King David reminds us to "sing in the assembly of saints" ~ in church ~ to rejoice, dance and make music to the Lord and that His praise should always be in our mouths (Ps. 149) 

~Mary praised the Lord in song while He was still in her womb (Luke 1:46-55)

~And mostly, because the Jesus sang His own praises to His Father in heaven just before He and the disciples went to the Mount of Olives, knowing what lay ahead (Matt. 26:30)

Do we only sing when we are happy? When things are going well? In church? Obviously, if Jesus offers us His example of singing God's praises, even in the most trying of times, it is appropriate for us as well. Once again, David reminds us that praise music affects our attitude and can be good for us, "A cheerful heart is good medicine . . ." (Prov. 17:22)

We are blessed with so many different styles of praise music and so many opportunities to sing; find your style and sing your praise to the Lord!

Blessings from Ohio . . .  Kim<><