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Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
By Mark D. Roberts | Sunday, June 21, 2009
Clap and Shout!
Come, everyone! Clap your hands!
Shout to God with joyful praise!
In yesterday’s reflection, I mentioned that I am not wired for stillness, but rather for activity and worry. So I need the invitation of Psalm 46:10 to challenge me to be still and know that God is God.
Well, in truth, I’m not wired for clapping my hands and shouting to God, either. My ancestors came from northern Europe, where people associate reverence with reservation. Something in my genes prefers to worship God quietly and carefully. Thus it’s no surprise that I found a home within the Presbyterian church. We’re happy to have our choirs singing joyously about clapping and shouting. But we certainly don’t want to do it ourselves! That feels almost indecent and disorderly.
There is surely a time to worship God in quiet and stillness. Psalm 46:10 suggests this. Habakkuk explicitly calls for silence in response to God’s holy presence (2:20). Yet Scripture repeatedly calls us to worship the Lord with vigorous physical expression. Psalm 47:1 joins a chorus of passages that call us to use our bodies in worship by clapping, shouting, standing, singing, lifting our hands, and so on.
Why is this important? Psalm 47 explains that physically expressive worship is a fitting response to God’s awesomeness and power. Even as a crowd would cheer for a king, so we ought to honor the King of kings. Moreover, when we invest our body in active worship, we often find that our hearts are stirred with love for God. Plus, we get to practice loving God with all of our strength, so that we might live fully for him each day.
Some Christians need to learn how to worship with greater zest, yes, even with more volume. Other Christians need to learn how to be quiet in God’s presence, so they might hear the still, small voice of his Spirit. Frankly, I need both.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Do you find it easier to be quiet before God or to clap and shout? Why? What helps you to be freer in offering yourself in worship to God?
PRAYER: Dear Lord, you know I don’t find it natural to clap for you or shout my praise to you. I know that you receive my worship with gladness, even when it’s quiet. But I also know that I need to discover the freedom of greater expression in worship. Help me, Lord, to offer you more of myself, more of my body, more of my voice, more of my whole self to you.
Even as I need to grow in being still before you, I also need to become more expressive of my love for you. By your Spirit, I ask for new freedom and joy in worship. May I hold nothing back as I love you with all of my heart, all of my soul, all of my mind, and all of my strength. Amen.
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This devotional comes from The High Calling of Our Daily Work (www.thehighcalling.org), a wonderful website about work and God. You can read my Daily Reflections there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace.
Topics: Sunday Inspiration |
2 Responses to “Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling”
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June 21st, 2009 at 11:28 am
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June 22nd, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Thanks Rev Mark Roberts for the website & praying for believers of all ages wherever they might be:
Thanks for the plug on June 14th-sunday. Yes, I read it to my– mom in somewhat relatively frail health (about 80 years young) today–June 22,2009 (AD) The just individuals are still in their challenges especially middle aged & elderly folks sort of tired physically, emotionally, & mentally
with the modern life-reality of safe affordable housing,economic realities-bills, taxes & money & job worries not to mention relatives health, job security & bills. The 24 hour news is usually sad & negative & truth somewhat. The lack of respect & crime & modern day morality can put a damper on the just individuals hoping for God’ s ways and or paths. People don’t want to get into the partyin & or crime wave scenes but hope truth prevails & success to God’s victors–not want to remain victims. Thanks again for sharing readers insights & hope no one snores for 72 hours with this post. Jan gratefully thanking again for the psalm 45 reminder for the times we are in this year America,Europe, & all lands(countries, territories & islands of the year 2009
Blessed summer hope, happiness, & miracles for all!