Where and when do you worship?

 Psalm 138:1–8 (ESV):  

1  I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; 

before the gods I sing your praise; 

 2  I bow down toward your holy temple 

and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, 

for you have exalted above all things 

your name and your word. 

 3  On the day I called, you answered me; 

my strength of soul you increased. 

 4  All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord, 

for they have heard the words of your mouth, 

 5  and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, 

for great is the glory of the Lord. 

 6  For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly, 

but the haughty he knows from afar. 

 7  Though I walk in the midst of trouble, 

you preserve my life; 

  you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, 

and your right hand delivers me. 

 8  The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; 

your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. 

Do not forsake the work of your hands. 

Where and when do you worship?

King David, the author of this psalm worships in the face of other religions, in the temple, when he needs help, when he is desperate, and when he is grateful. He is not bound by a set routine as his life overflows with worship to God. He even lifts God up ‘before the gods’! In the face of idols and other things with supposed power, David praises The Lord! Are you so aware of God’s love, power and presence everywhere, that you worship Him in the midst of darkness and depravity, when surrounded by other things that people extol?

It is not just in these places and at these times that David worships though. He also does so in the house of God, recognising the significance and privilege of being able to join with God’s people in His presence to honour, love and worship together. 

Also, David understands that worship is not just through singing and listening, but through submission to Him as he also bows down. He humbles himself before God. For even as a mighty and powerful king, David acknowledges and accepts that there is a higher authority than himself. David knows what it is like to be exalted as a man; once a shepherd, now a king, through the hand of God. He knows firsthand how God exalts, and so he exalts God in return as he acknowledges God as in greater authority and power than he is. David could deem himself powerful, strong and faithful, but he knows these are merely attributes bestowed by God. He couldn’t do what he is doing without God as he admits, ‘On the day i called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased’. David depends on the strength of God in his life to live the life God has given him. When David’s internal strength had been knocked, he felt weak and incapable, so where did he turn? Not to drink, women, money, work or friends, but to the only One who truly understands the internal state of man. He went to The Lord. Where do you go? Do you call to God and allow Him to strengthen your soul? Is He the source of your wonder and worship even when you feel low and weak? Do you approach The Lord in humility, with your body and mind bowed down to Him? This is real worship.

Putting God first in your life and making Him the first One you go for strength, peace, restoration, hope, and joy is how you live a life of worship as David did. It is not about the songs you sing, the way you dance or music you make, it is about how you live your life, what you trust in and bow down to. David made God the most important One in his life when he had the capacity and opportunity to do and extol many other things, even himself. David knew that only God can give what he needed; materially, physically and internally. Therefore, it did not matter where David was, who he was with, or what he was doing. If he was with other kings or the lowly, at the temple or not, before God or idols, when he felt weak or strong, sad or joyful, David worshipped and sought God. He desired and searched for God’s presence in every aspect and moment of his life, do you? Does how or if you praise Him depend upon where you are, what you are doing, or who you are with? It shouldn’t. God is the same wherever you are, whoever you are with, and whatever you are doing. If you truly want to live a life of praise and honour to God worship Him wherever you are, whoever you are with, and whatever you are doing. Then you will be living a life of worship far more beautiful than any song.

Obedience in the Yes and the No

 Psalm 132:1–18 (ESV): 

1  Remember, O Lord, in David’s favour, 

all the hardships he endured, 

 2  how he swore to the Lord 

and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, 

 3  “I will not enter my house 

or get into my bed, 

 4  I will not give sleep to my eyes 

or slumber to my eyelids, 

 5  until I find a place for the Lord, 

a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.” 

 6  Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; 

we found it in the fields of Jaar. 

 7  “Let us go to his dwelling place; 

let us worship at his footstool!” 

 8  Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place, 

you and the ark of your might. 

 9  Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, 

and let your saints shout for joy. 

 10  For the sake of your servant David, 

do not turn away the face of your anointed one. 

 11  The Lord swore to David a sure oath 

from which he will not turn back: 

  “One of the sons of your body 

I will set on your throne. 

 12  If your sons keep my covenant 

and my testimonies that I shall teach them, 

  their sons also forever 

shall sit on your throne.” 

 13  For the Lord has chosen Zion; 

he has desired it for his dwelling place: 

 14  “This is my resting place forever; 

here I will dwell, for I have desired it. 

 15  I will abundantly bless her provisions; 

I will satisfy her poor with bread. 

 16  Her priests I will clothe with salvation, 

and her saints will shout for joy. 

 17  There I will make a horn to sprout for David; 

I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. 

 18  His enemies I will clothe with shame, 

but on him his crown will shine.”

God remembers His faithful servants, whether they be paupers, kings or anything inbetween. God remembers and watches with favour those who keep their promises to Him, like David did. God loves that kind of dedication, obedience and faithfulness, and He rewards it. God does not forget what He has said, what you have done, or your quiet, steadfast dedication to Him. It is you that forgets. 

David’s passion for God caused him to feel unsettled even though he had a beautiful mansion for a home. For he knew that in some place, unknown, God’s holy presence rested in the Ark of the Covenant. David’s desire was to bring the nation to worship God, how could this happen if the presence of God that went with the nation into exile and back, is lost? This is the reason David made such a promise in the first place. Once the Ark was discovered, there had to be a permanent abode for it that was fitting for the King of Kings. David, and his team started searching, and eventually, they found the right place. David’s passion for God desired that he and the whole nation would discover what living in the presence of God was like.  So, he made his oath not to sleep until The Lord had his dwelling place amongst the nation of Israel.

When you make a promise to God and are working to fulfill it, it isn't easy. There comes a point when you wonder why you began doing it, how long it will take, and if it will get any easier. I am sure David felt like that in his search for ‘a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob’. David was so dedicated to this task that he swore that he would have no sleep until he had achieved it (v4-5). That is a brave promise! When you make an oath to God, how can you fail to fulfill your word? How did David do it? It must have got difficult for him. He must have grown tired, disappointed and anxious about finding ‘a place for the Lord’. Yet he continued diligently to complete this mission. He didn't make do or give up, his love and dedication to God caused him ti succeed in his mission to serve God and the nation in this way. David would have become exhausted and despondent journeying and searching to provide the right place. Yet he did not give up, he continued his search diligently. He was faithful to his word to The Faithful One. Remember this dedication, and let it inspire you in how you follow God and keep your promises to Him. The passion can wane, the sense of calling wither away as the reality of the hardship sets in. I wonder how long David went without sleep before he achieved his aim. He kept going in his mission, he was dedicated and demonstrated how to put God first above personal comfort and desire. Do you do the same?

When the right location of the Ark was discovered, and the right spot for the temple to be built found, God spoke to David. He made a promise for the generations of his family to come, if they were to give their hearts to God as David had. David had proved his allegiance and devotion to God, and God chose to pronounce a blessing over him and his family. Isn't that a beautiful thing! Yet God also made clear to David, that although he had searched for the Ark of the Covenant, found it, and brought i to it's dwelling place, he would not be the one to build a permanent home for it. His son, Solomon would. After all of that effort, that dedication and discomfort that David went through, how do you imagine he felt hearing that? Disappointed, relieved, angry? However, despite his own personal emotional response, David honoured this instruction from God. He did not rush off and do it himself anyway although he was the one with the passion for the project. Instead, David humbly obeyed the instruction of The Lord. 

David understood that God ideas are better than his own, and that God should have a say in who, where and when the temple, his earthly dwelling place should be constructed. So, although David had sacrificed sleep and rest in his search for the location, it did not mean that he was the man to fulfill the rest of the mission. David had to lay aside his desire to see a house of God being built. David had the vision, the plans and collected the materials, but he stopped there because God said so. How obedient are you to God when He tells you to hand over responsibility or to stop doing something?

David shows beautiful obedience and submission to God. He was powerful and rich, he cold command armies, and builders, but God said no, so David obeyed. That takes a lot of strength and trust. David did not get to see the fulfilment of his work and investment into people or the kingdom of God. Yet he came to terms with it because He knew God is faithful and trustworthy, so he obeyed. David’s passion and humility led to a glorious temple being built in Jerusalem, where the nation of Israel could come to worship. David’s dedication permitted and invited others into God’s presence. Yet he never saw a stone be laid. Do you have that level of obedience to God? To live beyond yourself and your generation to build and prepare for the kingdom of God to come, for the people to come?

You can impact nations and places through the simple obedience to seeing through the things God has given you passion and permission for, and stopping there. What are you passionate about doing for The Lord? Submit your ideas and passions to Him, and trust Him even if His plans are different to yours. Then you will be blessed, and so will others for generations ot come. 

Are you listening to wisdom?

 James 3:13 (ESV): 'Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom……

…….17 the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere'. (James 3:17)

‘Who is wise and understanding?’ 

What a good question to ponder - who do you know that is wise? 

James informs us that wisdom, like faith, is shown by how you live. It is not boastful - showing off what you know and understand, or telling everyone how smart you are. In fact, the wisest people listen, consider and then communicate what they believe is useful to convey. 

The wise, James says, are meek. I find it interesting that he uses this word, as meekness is not a quality that you hear of, that people seek to attain, or that seems valued. So it can be difficult to understand what it is. Meekness includes being; humbly patient, quiet in nature, submissive, forbearing and gentle. Reading these words can seem like being meek is being a pushover, but meekness is about knowing where you are taking your bearings from. Meekness in wisdom is about being patient with others and in life, knowing when to speak and when not to, having internal peace, being submissive to God, keeping on going even when it is hard as well as being mild and kind. No wonder we do not see meekness much, do you know anybody with all of those qualities? 

Those that are wise do not let the events of life rock them, they quietly, gently keep going, maintaining the peace in their hearts through their relationship with God. Not only have the wise learnt a lot through the lessons of life, but they do not shout about it. Wise people listen more than they speak, I have seen this in those that i would consider wise. They are often quiet and considered, and when they do communicate it comes with a weight as the power of their experienced words settles on the ears of those who hear it. Those with understanding wait and consider before they speak - No wonder James has been exhorting us to consider our speech and how much we say - he wants you to become wise! 

‘the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.’

Godly wisdom results in the above qualities. Wisdom is firstly pure - hence it results from relationship with God, if it stems from anywhere else then it could not be truly pure. In its purity, wisdom is unassuming and has no ulterior motive, it is genuine and kind, yet can be so easily overlooked. Wisdom is seen in a life lived out. Those that are wise are known more for their character and conduct than by their knowledge. What they understand is evidenced by how they live their lives and their priorities. If you want to learn from someone who you consider wise - watch them and listen to their insight. 

We are all in contact with people, some of them will be more wise than yourself - do you value them? Do you listen to their counsel and take it onboard or are you someone that just wants to make their own way in the world, disregarding the advice and assistance of others? God has given you wise people in your life for a reason. There are lessons you can learn, mistakes you can avoid and relationships you can build if you are prepared to open your mind and follow the wisdom that is shared with you. Look out for times when someone comes alongside you and offers advice that may be different to how you are living, or that counteracts your own ideas or those of society. Those people may be desiring to share a bit of wisdom they have gained to help you also live a life of gentle submission, peace, sincerity and mercy. The wise notice, and when they speak it is worth listening to. They have no motive other than to assist you in living a more wise and godly life - is that what you want for yourself?

strength of submission

- Throughout chapter 2 of Esther, we find out something beautiful about her character that set her apart from the rest of the women around her. We can see this character trait in the way she responds to; her cousin Mordecai, Hegai the eunuch, and to King Ahasuerus. In all of these relationships, Esther is submissive.
- Now, this is not a word many of us like to hear. Yet, this is something that stands out in Esther’s character. Just have a look a the following few verses to see what I mean:
-
Esther had not made known her people or kindred, for Mordecai had commanded her not to make it known
Esther 2:10.

she asked for nothing except what Hegai the king’s eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised
Esther 2:15.

Esther obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought up by him
Esther 2:20.

Do you see what I mean? Esther is submissive to those around her, she clearly has a healthy respect for those in authority. She is obedient, not proud or entitled, but compliant and content. The submission displayed by Esther is definitely seen as a strength, it is what ultimately wins her favour. Esther’s compliance, her acknowledgement that she doesn’t know best, her ability to be led and taught are all beautiful characteristics that far outweigh her physical beauty.

 Yet, who of us would like to be submissive?

None of us, I should imagine, would see submission as a desirable  characteristic for a person, let alone for a woman or a queen!
After all, submission is about giving in to others, giving up your own desires, allowing others authority over your life. We usually consider submission as a weakness - an inability to make up your own mind, make decisions or be too scared to. Submission is to something that we desire, instead we desire independence. We want authority over our own lives, and preferably over others too, we want to have our desires met, and our voices heard sometimes at the expense (not benefit) of others. This is what we consider strength to be - to be seen and heard and noticed.
However,  Esther lives in a place where it is easy to be overlooked, unnoticed and unheard, yet in her simple submission to these circumstances, the fact that she is not screaming or shouting about it, but simply being obedient, that is the very thing that causes her to stand out.

*Submission is a powerful tool.*

- In the days live in we are taught and empowered to be independent, to do our own thing, have it ‘my way’. We are supported to know that our emotions, views and opinions matter, and we are educated that we should be heard. Yet here, in ancient Persia, we see a woman being elevated for exactly the opposite quality. Persia, by what we’ve read so far, doesn’t seem wildly different to world we live in; they also have worldly leaders out for themselves, sin and debauchery is as obvious as it is today, there are liars and selfish people, immigrants, wars, marriage and divorce, just like we do. Amongst all of this life that’s going on, with people out to get what they want, is it any wonder that a beautiful, young woman, who just gets on with life, listening and obeying the instructions of her elders stands out?

Esther honours and respects those in authority by listening and being obedient, therefore she wins their trust. She does not talk behind anyones back, complain or bemoan her situation, she just gets on with it. She is not ashamed to take advice, she follows instructions and she doesn’t seem to get upset or offended by it. Is it any wonder that,  ‘she won grace and favour in his sight’ (v17).
If you want t win favour, have you considered the strength of submission?