travelling light (daily devotions for your elective)

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Day 28: Let’s Have a Time of Worship

Psalm 95: 6
Let’s Have a Time of Worship

A Ugandan child cured of meningitis and prompted by her grandmother, embarrassingly knelt at my feet. People often knelt, bowed or threw themselves down before Jesus, sometimes in expectation or gratitude, usually in worship (Matthew 15: 25; 2: 11; 28: 9). In the Old Testament too, worshippers bowed down in awe to God (Genesis 24: 26; Exodus 4: 31; Psalm 99: 5).

Whereas Scripture often links praise to God with joyful music and singing, worship is rarely mentioned in this context. It usually indicates reverence and submission (hence bowing down), and is first mentioned by Abraham on his way to offer up Isaac (Genesis 22: 5). Paul also urges us ‘to offer your bodies as living sacrifices’, defining this as ‘your spiritual act of worship’ (Romans 12: 1). The Greek words for worship and service have the same root, so that true worshippers are faithful servants of God, whatever the cost involved, and not always to the sound of music.

After our fervent songs of praise as part of a Sunday service, what happens on Monday? We may not feel so inspired when the clinic runs on past mealtime, or when everyone else disappears and leaves us to cope alone, or when a patient dies and the relatives want to see us. Even so, we can offer all these (and sterner) trials up to God. He knows how hard it can be to keep going, but His self-giving love will encourage and enable our self-giving in return. This does not exclude a song of praise, even when we don’t really feel like it (Acts 16: 25). It is though, our day-to-day service submitted to God, which recalls to Him the ‘aroma of Christ’ - and that came from His personal sacrifice for us (II Corinthians 2: 15; Ephesians 5: 2).

A ‘wholehearted time of worship’ should last a lifetime! and our Lord’s final ‘Well done!’ will make it all worthwhile (Matthew 25: 19 - 21).

Prayer and Action
Use Psalm 95 as the basis for a time of prayer and meditation.

Why not try and memorise part or all of Psalm 95. You could learn a small section each day by writing 2 or 3 verses on a card to keep in your pocket which you could then refer to when you have a few spare moments.