Psalm 81,88,92-93

I have to appologize for the late blog post for today. My sweet friend Amy got married this evening and I made her wedding cake. In the midst of all the fun and frosting, I forgot to post the blog that I had all ready to post yesterday. But, fortunately, that doesn't make God's word any less valid. So if you will extend me some grace, here are my better-late-than-never thoughts:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2081,88,92-93&version=NIV

The Psalms in today’s reading brings to mind the question of why and when do you worship God?

Psalm 81 is written as worship during a festival song. Israel celebrated various religious festivals annually as a significant part of their faith. The festivals were a time of celebration, remembrance and recommitment. How do we celebrate, remember, and recommit today?

Psalm 88 is an example of worshipping in the middle of a storm.

Psalm 92 is a morning hymn of praise – written to be sung at the time of the morning sacrifice.

Psalm 93 is a worship of the sovereign God of all creation – I picture the psalmist looking out at the sea – observing the power of the waves – and responding in worship.

We don’t have to wait for God to bless us to thank him. We don’t have to wait until our circumstances improve to praise him. We don’t have to wait until Sunday to see praise or for our daily quiet time to pray. We can walk through our days in thankfulness of praise.

So what I’d like to know is how do you worship? Not how do you worship in church, but how do you worship outside of church? I’ll share some of my, shall we say ‘creative’ ways of worship – and I’d love it if you’d share yours.

In the mornings when I get ready, sometimes I turn off my radio and make up hymns of praise that recount to God – and to my own heart – everything that he is that makes him worthy of praise. For me it is a great way of putting God in the proper place – on his throne – and me at his feet. It reminds me of his wisdom and sovereignty, his unfailing love and faithfulness, and helps me rest in the knowledge that he holds me and my day in his hands. I also find myself often singing the old hymns I grew up singing. Sometimes when I’m sad I force myself to sing songs that don’t start out feeling very worshipful that completely change my emotions until they turn into songs of praise. I’m often grateful that no one but God has to hear my early morning voice, but I love that no matter what my voice sounds like, to God it is beautiful music.

When I am focused too much on my circumstances, I like to stop, list, and thank God for everything I have. It’s a simple but long list. I thank him for a roof over my head, that I have a house that is safe and pretty, that I have a bed to sleep him and can be warm and dry when it’s raining and cool enough when it’s hot outside. I thank him for a washer and a dryer and clean clothes – more clothes than I begin to need. I add a refrigerator filled with good to the list, a stove to cook it on, a sink with running water and dishes to wash. I have a car to drive and a computer to check my e-mail, a television to watch, a radio to hear Christian music and live in a country where I worship freely. It doesn’t take long to change my attitude.
One last way I’ll share is when I see the sunrise or sunset I thank God for painting the sky for me. When I am running, I see flowers and thank God for his creativity. It turns my run into worship – I thank him for my ability to run, for giving me the motivation, for making my body his temple.

I am in no way perfect in the way I worship or in my remembering to worship sometimes – but when I do, I feel God. He delights in your worship, my friends, no matter what from it takes. Don’t wait for an occasion, for Sunday, or for blessings – just worship – God inhabits the praises of his people!

Today's very late post was submitted by Carol Bartels