I’ve decided to embrace talking to myself. The kids make fun of me for talking to the dog 😉 but I’ve got the authority of scripture to back me up when it comes to talking to myself!

Worship with believers in Romania

The priestly Sons of Korah penned the words of Psalm 42; the writer feels discouraged and oppressed. Can you relate? Their problem is that their oppressors (troublemakers, difficult people … you know the kind) have kept them from going to the sanctuary in Jerusalem to worship. They are north of the Sea of Galilee, far from the temple. Though they know they can worship anywhere, there’s something unique about gathering with the followers of God and worshiping corporately in His house? While individual worship is sweet, I hope you’ve experienced group worship.

Attendance at the “sanctuary” is a privilege, a joy and a help, not a burden. Things like sleep, sports, the lake, sleep, tv, holidays, sleep …. can tempt us to ignore gathering with God’s people to worship Him as a group. We easily fall into the trap of “one week won’t hurt,” or “I can just worship on my own,” and a habit turns into a lifestyle. Group worship extends to every culture; no one is excluded from God’s desire for us to know and respond to Him in this way. God plans for us to enjoy Him through corporate worship. Do you look forward to it?

Unable to worship with others in God’s house, kept at a distance, the writer is “downcast.” In other words, just a few weeks out of fellowship with a church body, and your spirit begins to show neglect. Have you experienced that? God is with us individually and wants us to know Him:

By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. ~ Ps. 42:8

But God intends for us to gather in worship. We know how ignoring church body life can leave us feeling like God has forgotten us, with hopelessness creeping in. Psalm 43 really goes WITH the 42nd and gives the answer for when we feel “disconnected” from the church:  

Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! ~ Ps. 43:3

God’s truth is our means of rescue and encouragement. The answer to discouragement that comes from distance from God is to walk His way and worship Him.

Twice in Psalm 42 and again in Psalm 43, the writer “talks to himself.” I think I like the Sons of Korah!

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Ps. 42:5,11, and 43:5

So go ahead … talk to yourself! It’s biblical. 🙂 And if we’re speaking the truth, it will lead us and bring us right to God’s house in anticipation of sweet worship.

How do you plan to worship this week?

I’ve decided to embrace talking to myself. The kids make fun of me for talking to the dog 😉 but I’ve got the authority of scripture to back me up when it comes to talking to myself!

Worship with believers in Romania

The priestly Sons of Korah penned the words of Psalm 42; the writer feels discouraged and oppressed. Can you relate? Their problem is that their oppressors (troublemakers, difficult people … you know the kind) have kept them from going to the sanctuary in Jerusalem to worship. They are north of the Sea of Galilee, far from the temple. Though they know they can worship anywhere, there’s something unique about gathering with the followers of God and worshiping corporately in His house? While individual worship is sweet, I hope you’ve experienced group worship.

Attendance at the “sanctuary” is a privilege, a joy and a help, not a burden. Things like sleep, sports, the lake, sleep, tv, holidays, sleep …. can tempt us to ignore gathering with God’s people to worship Him as a group. We easily fall into the trap of “one week won’t hurt,” or “I can just worship on my own,” and a habit turns into a lifestyle. Group worship extends to every culture; no one is excluded from God’s desire for us to know and respond to Him in this way. God plans for us to enjoy Him through corporate worship. Do you look forward to it?

Unable to worship with others in God’s house, kept at a distance, the writer is “downcast.” In other words, just a few weeks out of fellowship with a church body, and your spirit begins to show neglect. Have you experienced that? God is with us individually and wants us to know Him:

By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. ~ Ps. 42:8

But God intends for us to gather in worship. We know how ignoring church body life can leave us feeling like God has forgotten us, with hopelessness creeping in. Psalm 43 really goes WITH the 42nd and gives the answer for when we feel “disconnected” from the church:  

Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! ~ Ps. 43:3

God’s truth is our means of rescue and encouragement. The answer to discouragement that comes from distance from God is to walk His way and worship Him.

Twice in Psalm 42 and again in Psalm 43, the writer “talks to himself.” I think I like the Sons of Korah!

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Ps. 42:5,11, and 43:5

So go ahead … talk to yourself! It’s biblical. 🙂 And if we’re speaking the truth, it will lead us and bring us right to God’s house in anticipation of sweet worship.

How do you plan to worship this week?