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In the Old Testament book of 1 Chronicles, David, Israel’s king, encounters God. The Ark of the Covenant has successfully returned to Jerusalem, and a celebration follows. It is an intense time of worship.
Israel’s shepherd/king is also a songwriter, and this song pours out of David’s grateful heart.
“Thank God! Call out his Name! Tell the whole world who he is and what he’s done!
Sing to him! Play songs for him! Broadcast all his wonders!
Revel in his holy Name, God-seekers, be jubilant!
Study God and his strength, seek his presence day and night;
Remember all the wonders he performed, the miracles and judgments that came out of his mouth.”
1Chronicles 16:8-12
The Message
The Holy Spirit has captured me, calling me to return to my first love, and David’s story in this portion of the Old Testament has my attention.
Worship is active
David begins his song by saying, ” Call out God’s name in thankfulness.
Have you ever tried calling out quietly? It doesn’t carry much strength. To “call out” implies a loud voice rather than a passive whisper.
Although both are appropriate, this act of worship is active, beginning with cries of thankfulness to a Holy God.
I am amazed how some religious folks scoff at such outward expression of adoration to the Lord, when they will lose their voice cheering on their favorite sports team.
Active worship means raising your voice to your God in thankful gratitude.
However, it doesn’t end with shouting praises to God. Active worship continues by telling “the whole world who he is and what he’s done!”
In other words, your testimony is an act of worship.
Our youngest daughter recently returned from a week-long immersion with a group of like-minded Christ-followers.
The glow on her face is undeniable, and the words coming out of her mouth radiate the Joy of the Lord.
She doesn’t need to say anything for people to notice something different about her, but she opens her mouth to express simple words like, “I just want you to know that Jesus loves you.”
Worship is private
David continues his song by saying, “Sing to him! Play songs for him! Broadcast all his wonders!”
Part of my practice when things get tough is to pull aside with some music (CD’s, remember those?), close my eyes, and get lost in the songs as I sing them to the Lord. There have even been a few occasions where a song sprang up from within me, and I would sing it out to him.
This part of worship is intimate, personal, and private. I always come away from these times feeling a closeness to the Lord.
There have been encounters during this time that will never be known by another human, but they are real and life-touching.
However, David (the songwriter) also says to broadcast his wonders. An example of this is our daughter’s afterglow and her ease in telling people, “I want you to know that Jesus loves you.”
Worship is empowering
Revel in his holy Name, God-seekers, be jubilant!
To revel carries the connotation of exorbitant joy, while jubilant means to express great happiness.
Have you ever noticed how alive you feel when you feel extremely happy?
This is what worship does; it is like a shot of adrenaline into your system. You feel like you can tackle anything, accomplish anything, and win!
Can you see how worship is necessary in a Christ-follower’s life?
Do you realize how important it is to keep a fresh,h uplifting relationship with the Lord?
I am thankful that God, the Holy Spirit, dropped it into my heart to return to my first love.
Worship is essential to a “first-love” relationship.
This is where it gets exciting.
“Study God and his strength, seek his presence day and night;
Remember all the wonders he performed, the miracles and judgments that came out of his mouth.”
David says to:
Study God and his strength.
To study means to read it slowly, ponder, wonder, ask questions, and learn.
In the language of the King James Bible, the Apostle Paul told his young protégé, Timothy, to
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15
King James Version
I like the image The Message Bible offers.
“Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won’t be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple.”
2 Timothy 2:15
The Message
Can’t you imagine someone with their head bent, looking at a book, eyes intently focused on the words on the page, perhaps the tongue poking out of the side of their mouth?
They are laser-focused on what they are reading.
A more modern image would be someone sitting in front of a video screen, joystick in hand, totally locked onto a game.
The idea is that you are giving it your all.
The wonder of it all is that such focus is on God’s strength (which is beyond finding out).
Seek his presence day and night.
The Old Testament poetry book of the Song of Solomon provides a descriptive image of what David is referring to.
A man and woman in love describe Solomon’s father (David) ‘s heart regarding worshipping God.
“Restless in bed and sleepless through the night, I longed for my lover. I wanted him desperately. His absence was painful.
So I got up, went out, and roved the city, hunting through streets and down alleys. I wanted my lover in the worst way! I looked high and low, and didn’t find him.
And then the night watchmen found me as they patrolled the darkened city. “Have you seen my dear lost love?” I asked.”
Song of Solomon 3:1-3
The Messa
You see the deep desire to be close to the Lord and the willingness to do whatever it takes to enter his presence.
This, too, is a part of worship, longing to be in His presence.
It is foundational to returning to your first love.
It is essential in the time we live in because so many “things” clamor for our time and attention.
It is necessary, as the Old Testament Prophet Isaiah says,
“Seek God while he’s here to be found, pray to him while he’s close at hand.”
Isaiah 55:6
The Message
Remember all his wonders, miracles, and judgments spoken by him.
I wonder if David was looking down the corridor of time and saw the hour we live in, because more than ever, we must remember the Lord, his wonders, miracles, and judgments.
A close personal relationship with him calls you to return to your first love, and anger, hatred, and open rebellion against God will hurt you if you do not pull aside to remember God and his marvelous ways.
“These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.”
Psalms 42:4
New International Version
Jesus told his disciples about the time we are living in when he said to them,
“I’ve told you these things to prepare you for rough times ahead.
They are going to throw you out of the meeting places. There will even come a time when anyone who kills you will think he’s doing God a favor.
They will do these things because they never really Fathertood the Father.
I’ve told you these things so that when the time comes, and they start in on you, you’ll be well-warned and ready for them.”
John 16:1-4
The Message
Yes, I’m telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember my warning. I didn’t tell you earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer.
John 16:4
New Living Translation
With all the negative news that fills the airwaves, it is easy to forget the goodness of God. Remembering is essential in returning to our first love.
Humanity has entered a time of historical proportions, and being close to God will mean the difference between finding spiritual freedom or a deepening of spiritual bondage.
Stay close.