Devotion.al

Tag: worship

  • God Uncontained

    Psalm 72; Isaiah 6:1–5; Acts 7:44–53

    The opening verse of Psalm 72 is a passionate plea to God regarding the transition from David (the king) to Solomon (the king’s son). The plea consists of a having a wise, compassionate, , and feared earthly king of Israel, whose backing is the King of . Up through verse 17, it is about humankind. Verses 18 and 19 show all that precedes is based upon God’s wondrous deeds and glory.

    The glory of God takes center stage in Isaiah’s . Confronted with God’s glory, Isaiah gives in to , knowing that he is unworthy of being there, and on top of it, he lives among people who have forgotten by whose they are called. These people proclaim God’s name, praise him and offer sacrifices to him. Yet, as Isaiah knows the words that come from their mouths are far from their hearts. Isaiah feels of association, and likely the feeling of having failed to their hearts.

    The people had exchanged the God of the for the god that was the temple and rules. The people had exchanged with God for empty phrases and actions. In the midst of his response to the Sanhedrin, Stephen (Acts 7:44-53) recalls that God made it all and that the Tabernacle (the tent of worship) and the Temple (built by Solomon to replace the Tabernacle) were just human places. Whether Tabernacle, Temple, or church building, nothing can contain the glory of God.

    1) Scripture is filled with specific places where God met with people. If God is everywhere, why are places still important?

    2) Why is limiting God to specific places a problem? Why can it be a problem when there are not places set aside to with God?

    3/KD) Can you think of a specific place where you have met or experienced God? Have you ever gone back to that place? How did it feel?

  • Joy Refill

    Joy Refill

    Psalm 47, Psalm 48, Revelation 19:6-9

    “…God ascends among shouts of …”
    Psalm 47:5

    “…[God’s] mountain, rising splendidly, is the joy of the whole earth…”
    Psalm 48:1

    “Let us be glad, rejoice, and him because, the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has prepared herself.”
    Revelation 19:7

    All around God is rejoicing. There is not only worship and glorifying, there is joy. While God is just, God wants to be surrounded by rejoicing, or joy-filled, saints. You and I are called to be those joy-filled saints. It is one of those strange things where it is our duty to be joy-filled. Dutifully joy-filled seems contradictory, as if we are being commanded (as in obeying the law or a vengeful dictator) to feel a particular way. It isn’t that. Duty acts as a check and balance. It is our duty to assure that we are joy-filled saints. When doing our duty of checking the joy in the tank (so to speak), and we find it empty, we know that we need to refocus on God, thanks to Christ our Savior and surrendering (again) to the Holy .

    The image of bride has been applied to the church since the beginning. In that image, there is a tension of collective (everyone) and individual being the bride (not in a gendered way) of Jesus. The bride prepares herself. While she may be crying as she walks down the aisle, the tears should be ones of inescapable joy, of love and thankfulness of an bond. A bride that is not joy-filled walking down the aisle should really be rethinking the marriage.

    That is why it is our calling to be joy-filled. Every day we take one more step down the aisle toward Jesus. When it comes to Jesus, it isn’t good to be a runaway bride.

    Lastly, the populace of Heaven (of Heaven!) is rejoicing at this marriage! How amazing is that? Instead of viewing us as dirty or unworthy, we are the celebrated bride, and everyone is happy for the , Jesus!

    1) check. Are you joy-filled toward God?

    2) What things can people do to refill their tanks of joy?

    3) What practices or habits do you use to refill on your joy?

    KD) What does it mean to refill on joy?