We are such a blessed people! Just the simple fact that we can worship our Lord freely without fear, is an amazing blessing. However in my life I know that I sometimes take it for granted. I often wonder what it would be like if we didn't have the freedoms we have today. Many people in the world live this way every day. They have to hide or go underground just to gather and worship. They face prison or the ultimate price, their lives.
Sometimes we think that worship only happens at church, but I believe that we can worship wherever we may be. Whether riding in the car, while we are at work or whatever we may be doing, we should be in a constant attitude of praise. Psalms 113:3 says, "From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of our LORD is to be praise." The praise of the Lord should always be on our lips, and in our hearts.
Many times we may not feel like worshiping. We are tired, had a bad day or maybe just don't feel well. We think it doesn't make sense to praise Him. You see, when you begin to worship the Lord you change focus from your situation to Him and this is when He can begin to work in your life. I believe this is best shown in Acts 16:25. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. You see Paul and Silas were in prison at this time. They had been stripped down and beaten and thrown in a cold, dark prison, but still were singing and praising the Lord. Satan loves for us to focus on how bad things are, and how we have failed, and especially when we haven't done something that the Lord has told us to do. Simply put, when we worship the Lord, we give Satan a black eye and he must flee!
Again, we have such a wonderful privilege to worship the Lord in complete freedom, and to be able to lift Him up at any time. There is no right or wrong way to worship. Some lift their hands; other say amen, while others quietly lift their hearts to the Lord without saying or visibly doing anything. Let us constantly be in an attitude of worship and praise to our Lord. To quote the words of a powerful song, "Praise the Lord, He can work through those who praise Him, Praise the Lord. For our God inhabits praise. Praise the Lord, for the chains that seem to bind you, serve only to remind you. That they drop, powerless behind you,; when you Praise the Lord!" May Sandy Ridge Wesleyan Church always be a place of true worship and praise to the one who has saved our souls, cleansed our hearts, and given us an eternal home in Heaven! His Name is Jesus!
Worshiping with you,
Gene Collins
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