Why I worship

I have a reason to celebrate.  I have a reason to worship.  God’ s  love draws me and compels me to lift my heart to Him in worship.  As we look at David we are encouraged to Magnify the Lord. He urges us to  Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.  His love endures forever!  Exalt the Lord… Tell of His greatness, Tell of His wonders.  make known His deeds among the people.   In James we read,  Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you!  It’s a joy to worship God when we see Him doing great things in our lives or in those around us.  But what about in hard times?  Can we still keep our heart open to worshipping God then?

I will exalt the Lord because He heard my cry….

At times our worship is motivated by the works of God and all He has done for us.  David was at the end of himself when he was running for his life from Saul, and still he wrote, “Yet will I praise you.”  When life is falling down around us and our hopes are crushed,  We know that God is still our strong tower of safety and that He is our sheild and our salvation.  Whom shall I fear if the Lord is with me?

“Out of the depths I cried”…. was another statement from David.  When have you been at your lowest?  That is the best time to turn and Praise God for who He is,  and for what He can do in the situation.  God is still there, and He is the hope of the hopeless, the strength of the weak and the glory of our life, the lifter of our head.

Because Your love for me is better than life,

therefore my lips will praise you and I will bless your name forever!

God’s love for us is unconditional.  He found us in our sin and washed us and freed us from the power of sin and death.  His love for us goes on and on.  It is eternal and unending.  We praise God because as we praise Him we enter into His presence.  Psalms 100 says,  “Enter into His presence with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.  Be thankful unto Him and bless His holy name.”

God is always with us.  Yet sometimes  we do not remember  that in the middle of our busy lives and hectic days.   When we take time to Praise and lift up Jesus, we are acknowledging His presence and we open our hearts to the movement of the Holy Spirit inside of us.  Just a few seconds of a busy day can transform our outlook of life and give us a thankful heart.

Oh Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.  Who is like you Oh Lord among the nations?

God is completely holy and completely righteous.  His justice and judgements are true.  His mercy endures forever.  When we worship God with all of our hearts and minds, soul and strength He begins to transform us into His image.  In Corinthians it says that we all with open faces are beholding the beauty of Jesus and being changed into His image from glory to glory.

One generation after another will give praise to your great acts, and make clear the operation of your strength.

” Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations” were the words spoken from Moses in Psalms 90.1  Each generation of believers brings God’s glory to this earth by obeying Him and entering into His plans.  He says that He has good works that He has forordained or preplanned for us to walk in. These will bring Him glory and make His name great to those around us. As we speak of His wonders and His works,  we strengthen those around us.  Maybe you are the first person in your family to believe in Christ Jesus as your living Savior and Lord.  Your words of praise and honor and worship will pave the way for generations to come to know God and make Him known.  Our greatest joy comes when we tell others about the goodness of God.  As we speak of His greatness our love for him grows and joy comes over us.  God strengths our heart.  For the joy of the Lord is our strength.  God even keeps an account of the words his children speak about Him.  He is so excited about this that He writes it in His book

Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who  fear theLord and who esteem His name.  Malachi 3.16

Come, let us worship the Lord!  Let us exalt His name together!

Take some time today to lift up the name of Jesus.  Think of all the great things He has done for you and in you.  Remind yourself of the great mercy of the Lord, and how he delivered you from darkness.  Think of all the answers to prayer that you have experienced.  Remember that God, the God who created the entire universe loves you perfectly and even though we are flawed, He keeps on loving us.  He is worthy of our praise, worship and adoration.