Devotional Thoughts for the Week of October 17, 2021 - The Impact of Worship
Two times within twenty-four hours I heard completely unrelated speakers preaching about choosing worship over worry based on the example of Paul and Silas in prison. I do not usually have a major struggle with worry, but the repetition caught my attention so I decided to dig a little deeper into what the Holy Spirit was trying to show me. Paul and Silas had been arrested, flogged, and jailed in the inner cell with their feet in the stocks. “About midnight [they] were praying and singing hymns to God and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose” (Acts 16:25-26). The wonderful story is familiar to most of us. Only God can make an earthquake that shakes the foundations, but releases chains without causing walls to collapse. Paul and Silas’ decision to praise God in the midst of great pain and trial certainly lifted and encouraged their own spirits. The jailer was so impacted that he and his whole family came to faith in Jesus that night because of their testimony (v. 34). The new insight for me today is the impact that Paul and Silas’ worship had on the people around them. The text tells us that the other prisoners were listening to them pray and sing. The wonderfully amazing thing is that when God sent the earthquake, not only were His disciples’ chains loosed, but the chains of all the other prisoners came loose as well. As far as we know, only two people were choosing to worship God, but many others were impacted.
Brothers and Sisters, although most of us have not been arrested, stripped, flogged, and imprisoned for our faith this week, these are difficult days. Troubles and disease and division are rampant and economic predictions are extraordinarily bleak. How are the children of God responding to this darkness, pain, and uncertainty? More to the point, how is our response impacting the people around us? God does not always (or even often) respond with violent earthquakes, but He can certainly change any situation in which we find ourselves. What would happen in the hearts and lives of our family members, co-workers, neighbors and acquaintances - not to mention our own attitudes - if what was flowing from our mouths was continuous worship? Scripture tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). Praising God invites Him to move right into our home, office, neighborhood, etc. To worship means to acknowledge His worthiness of honor, reverence, adoration, and majesty. Worship reminds us how great and powerful and holy and wise our God is, thereby adjusting our perspective. Let us begin to cultivate a spirit of worship even in the struggles because He is always worthy.
Lord, we praise you for your unfailing faithfulness to every generation, including this one. You care for the oppressed (Ps. 103:6) so we know You are helping persecuted believers and accomplishing Your purposes. You forgive our sins and heal all our diseases (Psalm 103:3) so we repent for the sins of our nation and we trust You for healing that You alone can bring. Nothing is too difficult for you (Jer. 32:17) so we fix our eyes on you in faith, rather than on our problems. You are able to steer the hearts of kings (Prov. 21:1) so we ask you to make Yourself known to our elected officials and to give them wisdom far beyond themselves. You are a shield for all who take refuge in You (Ps. 18:30) so we refuse to be afraid. You bind up the brokenhearted and release those held captive, (Is. 61:1-3) so we thank You for the ways You are working to meet needs, even if we cannot see it yet. You change hearts of stone into hearts of flesh (Ez. 26:36) so we thank You for grace and continue to pray for the salvation of lost souls. You supply all we need. You are our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Ps. 46:1). Glory to Your Holy Name! All of our hope is in You Oh Lord our God.
Lynn
Two times within twenty-four hours I heard completely unrelated speakers preaching about choosing worship over worry based on the example of Paul and Silas in prison. I do not usually have a major struggle with worry, but the repetition caught my attention so I decided to dig a little deeper into what the Holy Spirit was trying to show me. Paul and Silas had been arrested, flogged, and jailed in the inner cell with their feet in the stocks. “About midnight [they] were praying and singing hymns to God and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose” (Acts 16:25-26). The wonderful story is familiar to most of us. Only God can make an earthquake that shakes the foundations, but releases chains without causing walls to collapse. Paul and Silas’ decision to praise God in the midst of great pain and trial certainly lifted and encouraged their own spirits. The jailer was so impacted that he and his whole family came to faith in Jesus that night because of their testimony (v. 34). The new insight for me today is the impact that Paul and Silas’ worship had on the people around them. The text tells us that the other prisoners were listening to them pray and sing. The wonderfully amazing thing is that when God sent the earthquake, not only were His disciples’ chains loosed, but the chains of all the other prisoners came loose as well. As far as we know, only two people were choosing to worship God, but many others were impacted.
Brothers and Sisters, although most of us have not been arrested, stripped, flogged, and imprisoned for our faith this week, these are difficult days. Troubles and disease and division are rampant and economic predictions are extraordinarily bleak. How are the children of God responding to this darkness, pain, and uncertainty? More to the point, how is our response impacting the people around us? God does not always (or even often) respond with violent earthquakes, but He can certainly change any situation in which we find ourselves. What would happen in the hearts and lives of our family members, co-workers, neighbors and acquaintances - not to mention our own attitudes - if what was flowing from our mouths was continuous worship? Scripture tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). Praising God invites Him to move right into our home, office, neighborhood, etc. To worship means to acknowledge His worthiness of honor, reverence, adoration, and majesty. Worship reminds us how great and powerful and holy and wise our God is, thereby adjusting our perspective. Let us begin to cultivate a spirit of worship even in the struggles because He is always worthy.
Lord, we praise you for your unfailing faithfulness to every generation, including this one. You care for the oppressed (Ps. 103:6) so we know You are helping persecuted believers and accomplishing Your purposes. You forgive our sins and heal all our diseases (Psalm 103:3) so we repent for the sins of our nation and we trust You for healing that You alone can bring. Nothing is too difficult for you (Jer. 32:17) so we fix our eyes on you in faith, rather than on our problems. You are able to steer the hearts of kings (Prov. 21:1) so we ask you to make Yourself known to our elected officials and to give them wisdom far beyond themselves. You are a shield for all who take refuge in You (Ps. 18:30) so we refuse to be afraid. You bind up the brokenhearted and release those held captive, (Is. 61:1-3) so we thank You for the ways You are working to meet needs, even if we cannot see it yet. You change hearts of stone into hearts of flesh (Ez. 26:36) so we thank You for grace and continue to pray for the salvation of lost souls. You supply all we need. You are our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Ps. 46:1). Glory to Your Holy Name! All of our hope is in You Oh Lord our God.
Lynn
