Worship Devotional LXXXVII
Originally posted to the Facebook group on 9/4/2021.
Worship Devotional for 9/5/21
I want to know the God who satisfies us with His love. His love is everlasting and true and faithful, even better than life itself. Nothing compares to the love, the life, and the freedom that we have in Christ. It's real, and it's forever. Why do we devote so much of our time and energy to pursuing things that don't really satisfy? We chase hard after money, possessions, status, fame, power, position, knowledge, beauty, relationships, approval, and so many other things which the world promotes and follows after and which the enemy uses to lure us away from the One whose love is true. But in the end, we are left wanting and broken. We must turn our hearts to the true and living God, who created us and loved us and gave His own Son as a sacrifice for our redemption. Let the worthless and empty things in our lives fade away in the light of Christ. May we turn our eyes to Him and be filled with His Spirit, so that we may know the One who is true and be filled with eternal joy in His presence.
Songs:
1) I Want To Know You by CityAlight
The words of the hymn, "In Jesus," by James Proctor, which this song is based on:
"I've tried in vain a thousand ways, my fears to quell, my hopes to raise. But what I need, the Bible says, is ever only Jesus.
My soul is night, my heart is steel — I cannot see, I cannot feel. For light, for life, I must appeal in simple faith to Jesus.
He died, He lives, He reigns, He pleads — there's love in all His words and deeds. There's all a guilty sinner needs forevermore in Jesus.
Though some should sneer and some should blame, I'll go with all my guilt and shame. I'll go to Him because His name above all names is Jesus."
This song, drawing from the hymn by James Proctor, is a confession that there is nothing that can truly save or satisfy us except for Jesus Christ. We try in all sorts of ways to fill our hearts with what we long for deep within, but all we need is Christ! He alone can truly satisfy our deepest longings which God has placed within us. Since He is the only One who satisfies, don't we want to know Him more and more no matter the cost? Won't we gladly trade our treasures and rewards just to know Him more, like the apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3? May we cry out together from our hearts this week that we may truly know the One whose beauty and glory are endless.
Philippians 3:7-11:
"But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ — the righteousness from God based on faith. My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead."
2) Nothing Compares by Third Day
"...in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ..."
We've observed the many things we do as people in this world to try to fill and satisfy ourselves. In the end it is all in vain — a waste of our time. But in knowing our Lord Jesus Christ — walking with God by His Spirit who lives in us, having been reconciled to the Father by faith through the sacrifice of His Son on the cross and His resurrection from the grave — we find a love that satisfies forever. Nothing compares to God's love. Nothing compares to knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.
"Turn your eyes upon Jesus; look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace."
When we taste and see that Lord is good (Ps. 34:8), the things that we used to look to for satisfaction suddenly grow very dim in the light of Christ. We get a taste of the glory of what's ahead for us as believers — that is, the eternal life, light, and glory of Jesus Christ. As the things of this world begin to fade away, we experience something which the world does not know because they have not known the Lord. We realize that even though all the things we chased after thinking they could satisfy us are slipping away, it's ok! Let them fade. We have found the only treasure and joy that we could ever need in Christ. So as we live out our days here on this earth in this broken and desperate world, let us keep our focus on Christ, fixing the eyes of our hearts on Him by faith.
Hebrews 12:1-2:
"Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God's throne."
4) Psalm 27 (One Thing) by Shane & Shane
Psalm 27:
"The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom should I be afraid? When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell. Though an army deploys against me, my heart is not afraid; though a war breaks out against me, still I am confident.
I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking Him in His temple. For He will conceal me in His shelter in the day of adversity; He will hide me under the cover of His tent; He will set me high on a rock. Then my head will be high above my enemies around me; I will offer sacrifices in His tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Lord, hear my voice when I call; be gracious to me and answer me. My heart says this about You, 'You are to seek My face.' Lord, I will seek Your face. Do not hide Your face from me; do not turn Your servant away in anger. You have been my helper; do not leave me or abandon me, God of my salvation. Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me.
Because of my adversaries, show me Your way, Lord, and lead me on a level path. Do not give me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing violence.
I am certain that I will see the Lord's goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and courageous. Wait for the Lord."
5) Joy Of The Lord by Rend Collective
In letting go of our fleeting worldly pursuits and clinging instead to the joy of knowing Christ, we find strength to face the hard times in this life that we must go through. Though tears may fall, we will raise up songs of praise to our God. Though darkness may descend on us and the waters rise around us, and though we may not always be able to see or feel God's presence, may we still choose by the power of God's Spirit within us to rejoice and believe and praise God no matter how hard the struggle is. He is always worthy of all praise. As we rejoice in Him always and in every circumstance, He strengthens us to endure so that in the end we are victorious through faith and God is glorified. We must remember and hold fast to what Nehemiah told the Israelites when they repented and sought the Lord together:
"...the joy of the Lord is your stronghold" (Nehemiah 8:10d).
Psalm 16:8-11:
"I keep the Lord in mind always. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my spirit rejoices; my body also rests securely. For You will not abandon me to Sheol; You will not allow Your Faithful One to see decay. You reveal the path of life to me; in Your presence is abundant joy; in Your right hand are eternal pleasures."
Philippians 4:4:
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"
Theme(s): Knowing and Enjoying Christ Above All Else
Scripture references:
Nehemiah 8:10
Psalms 16, 27, 30, 32, 34, 49, 63, 84, 90
Ecclesiastes
John 4:1-26, 5:24-30, 6, 7:37-39, 8:12, 11:25-26, 14:6, 16:33
Philippians 3-4
Hebrews 12:1-2