Worship Is... (Part 2)
Worship is thankfulness.
This blog is coming to you somewhat late. This week has been a red letter week for the White family! Marilyn's birthday was on Wednesday, so I drove home from Sumter, SC to surprise her and fix her dinner. Then my daughter Ruthie graduated from college on Friday. I feel like I've driven all over the universe, which has prevented me from typing. Regardless, I wanted to get this out today for this week.
All of this activity has caused me to think of thankfulness. I am exceptionally thankful that Marilyn is still with me, but I was also thankful when we found out she had cancer in 2021. I wasn't thankful for the cancer itself, but I remember telling thanking God that He was sovereign in the midst of suffering. I am exceptionally thankful that Ruthie graduated from college with honors, but I was also thankful through the unbelievably painful times that we walked through that has shaped her into the person she is today. I wouldn't have chosen for my family to walk through those experiences, but I was thankful that God was sovereign in the midst of suffering.
Worship is thankfulness.
I see a lot of people thanking God for material blessings. "Look at this new cat #blessed." "Look at this new house #blessed." "Look at these great things going on in my life #blessed." I can't say I've ever seen someone put #blessed on a post about cancer, or losing a job, or having some life-altering event. And yet, those are the very time when we should be praising God the most! We live in a society that measures success by how much stuff you have, how healthy you are, and how popular you are. This attitude has bled into the church, and we often measure spiritual success the same way. The idea often seems to be "If everything is going great in my life, then I am good with God." That is not the Biblical model.
Paul tells the Ephesians in Ephesians 5:20 to give thanks in every situation. He tells them this during one of the worst persecutions by Rome during the entire early church period. It was under Nero, the guy who had Christian torn apart by wild animals in the arena and lit them on fire to light his gardens. It got worse. How can someone possibly be thankful in those circumstances? Well, it's a choice.
We can choose to be thankful. Thankfulness doesn't start with my emotions. It starts with our sure knowledge that God has a purpose for every pain. "All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes." We have the sure knowledge that God is using all those things for my good and His glory. And then, we can vocalize that thanksgiving. What I know for sure is that your feeler will always follow your knower. When you say what you know is true, eventually, you emotions will follow.
So the next time you are in church and it's time to give thanks, definitely give thanks for the good things: new job, healing, provision, etc. But also give thanks for the suffering. Give thanks even though you don't know how it's going to turn out. THAT is an amazing act of worship.
SONGS FOR SUNDAY
Freedom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiO_Eteee1U
Days of Elijah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca9LnzJnpjQ
Still God, Still Good
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei8XWHpFDq4
King of Kings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of5IcFWiEpg
I Exalt Thee/Lord You Are More Precious
...and we are learning
Here Waiting