PAULA WISEMAN

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Posts about encouraging and instructing our worship

3 Keys to Preparing for Worship

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iStock_000005343680XSmallI know Sunday mornings can be the most hectic and frustrating hours of the entire week. The dog runs away. The youngest spills chocolate milk all over the only clean clothes she has. The middle one can’t find his Bible. Or his glasses. The van’s fuel gauge is two ticks below empty … and on and on. It’s no wonder we need revival.

Last week, we looked at the steps God encouraged Jacob to take to help revive his faith and his relationship with God. (Arise, go to Bethel, live there and make an altar.) Before leaving for Bethel, Jacob made some key preparations. In Genesis 35:2, God instructs him, “Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves and change your garments.”

 

1. Put away the foreign gods. After chapter 34, Jacob had a number of foreign slaves to care for, and naturally they brought their gods and their religious practices with them. Jacob ordered an immediate end to that.

We’re far too sophisticated to worship little statues, right? But … we do have our attention drawn away from God. We do pour our energy into other pursuits. We do turn to other people and things for comfort, for reassurance, for fulfillment.

2. Purify yourselves. This is as simple as confessing sins so God can cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

3. Change clothes. In the New Testament, Paul talks about exchanging our righteousness for the righteousness of Christ, depicting it like a change of clothes. Later, in Revelation, white garments represent the righteous acts. Changing clothes signifies changing our behavior.

 

 

 

How do you prepare for worship?

 

 

 

Worshiping with Children

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iStock_000008294050XSmallThings have been super busy here trying to get Sanction ready for release, plus all the usual stuff, and I really appreciate your patience as I’ve relied on some archived posts to help take some pressure off. As I was scrolling through the old posts though, I noticed I tend to gravitate toward a few favorite subjects. I suppose we could argue I use up all my imagination for fiction. I think it probably has more to do with the fact that a blog gives me the freedom to write about things that are on my heart and mind.

If you’ve been around the blog for very long, you know that worship comes up quite frequently. I’m often convicted about the worship that I offer. Is it sincere? Is it jaded and routine? Is it even acceptable? But a few times, I’ve been privileged to witness worship so pure and beautiful it’s breathtaking. This past Sunday was one of those times.

We write our prayer requests down on little cards then take them up to the altar to pray for them. What we call the “altar” is throwback terminology. It’s really just the steps up to the platform. When prayer time came, four or five little kids made their way to the front with cards in hand. A little girl sitting with my daughter looked up at me and asked, “Are we allowed?” Absolutely.

Their cards scrawled with thinline markers named friends and family, folks who were sick, who didn’t go to church or who were having difficulties. They crowded together on the steps and said their prayers. I couldn’t bear to close my own eyes and pray while they were up front. After a few moments, they trickled back to their seats, and the service continued on.

Jesus said in Mark 10:14 “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.”

I know it’s hard for little ones to sit through an entire worship service, and I know it’s important to teach them in a way that’s more suited to them, so I understand the reasoning behind children’s church. But on the other hand, it was a singular blessing to share in that moment when the little children came to Him.

I wonder how much we miss not sharing in their worship.

 

 

God, My Testimony

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witness standPsalm 122 is about going to the house of the Lord. Verse 4 says "Where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to the Testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord." (NKJV)
 
To the Testimony of Israel. 
 
This is one of those obscure phrases that translators disagree about, but in the New King James, it's capitalized. That makes me think it's God.
 
Imagine that moment in the courtroom. "Does the accused have anything to say for herself?" I don't have to say a word.
 
God is my Testimony. 
 
I don't have to answer for my sins. 
 
God is my Testimony.
 
That's the reason to worship and give thanks to the name of the Lord.

Far Away

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Woman standing on a pierWoe is me, that I dwell in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! Psalm 120:5
 
(Meshech is in Turkey. Kedar is in Arabia. To the Jews, they were the ends of the world and as far away from the temple of God in Jerusalem as a person could get. Here's what I take away from Psalm 120.)
 
I dwell, spend too much time, far away from the presence of God.
 
I live a culture that doesn't honor God.
 
I have friends, coworkers, family members who don't worship Him.
 
I feel surrounded, alone and weary.
 
Lord, revive and renew me. 
I want to worship You, I want to be in Your presence no matter where I am.
 
 
(Psalm 120 is the first of the Songs of Ascent. Devout Jews sang these songs as they made their way to Jerusalem for the Passover. They speak of the process of leaving the world and its cares behind as they prepare their hearts and minds for worship. Between now and Easter, we'll look at a different Song of Ascent each Monday.)

On Psalm 68:19

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Psalm 68:19
 
The Hebrew is tricky. The English translators each pick up a different shade from the original. 
 
Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation! (NKJV)
Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. (ESV)
Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation. (NAS)
Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day He carries us in his arms. (NLT)
 
Each is a beautiful picture.
 
Blessed be the Lord.