Worship Devotional XLVI
Originally posted to the Facebook group on 11/5/2020.
Worship Devotional for 11/1/20
(Post-gathering recap)
Hey everyone! This devotional is for last Sunday, which I wasn't able to complete in time for our gathering. In the next day or two I will be posting another one for this week.
Last week's set was an intro to the month of November. This month is all about the thanksgiving season. The turmoil of this year regarding politics, health, social justice, and the various ways these things and others have affected our own personal lives would have us feeling broken, hopeless, down and depressed, and full of worry and fear and despair. The worldly systems that we often have to rely on have failed us in many different aspects of our lives. This is not the end of the story for us, however.
We are the church of God, the body of Christ. We have been adopted in the family of God and are called His children. We have been redeemed and made alive through Jesus, in whom we believe and trust. We are citizens of a kingdom that is not of this world. It is an unshakeable and immovable kingdom which lasts forever under the rule of the Eternal One, our God and Savior who reigns forever in heaven! Therefore, we have hope in these dark times. Sometimes we find ourselves in trying times, carrying the weight of the world's burdens, having to endure a dry season until at last we find the relief and rest we so desperately long for in Christ. If you haven't yet experienced that relief, remember the faithfulness of God and keep pressing on. Hold onto His word. He will lead and guide us as He has before, and in the end we will see victory.
As we enter this year's season of thanksgiving, let us remember when God saved us and called us out of our slavery to sin. When He led the Israelites out of their slavery in Egypt, He displayed His glory and power to the nations and to His people. However, they quickly forgot His acts of love and power and salvation. Let us learn from their example and not forget the salvation we have in Jesus. Even when it is hard to be grateful, thankful, and joyful, the truth remains that God has made a way for guilty sinners like we were to be set free, redeemed, and made new through His Son, Jesus Christ! We have an everlasting and never-fading reason to rejoice and give thanks!
Songs:
1) There Is A Cloud by Elevation Worship
In 1 Kings 18, we read about king Ahab of Israel and Elijah the prophet. Elijah had spoken the word of the Lord and declared that there would be no rain in the land. After three years of famine and drought, God sent Elijah back to Ahab, saying that He would send rain on the land. After such a long time with no rain in the land, Ahab wanted to kill Elijah. However, they made an agreement to meet each other on Mount Carmel and see who's God was the true God. After an epic display of His glory (an awesome story to reread if you have the chance), God used Elijah the prophet to judge the prophets of Baal. Check out what happened after that in verses 41-44:
"Elijah said to Ahab, 'Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a rainstorm.' So Ahab went to eat and drink, but Elijah went up to the summit of Carmel. He bowed down on the ground and put his face between his knees. Then he said to his servant, 'Go up and look toward the sea.' So he went up, looked, and said, 'There is nothing.' Seven times Elijah said, 'Go back.' On the seventh time, he reported, 'There's a cloud as small as a man's hand coming from the sea.'"
Elijah knew immediately what the cloud meant; and sure enough, it quickly became a much needed downpour. God said he would bring rain, yet Elijah had to pray seven times before he saw the sign that it was coming. There are times when God promises to do things, and yet they don't happen according to our timing. If you are facing a time like this, don't give up! Keep praying and trusting in the Lord and believing in His word. He is always faithful to do what He has promised. When it doesn't come like we think it will, we must wait on the Lord and hold fast to faith. In His timing, we will receive the rain He has promised. Everything He has spoken will come to pass. Therefore, whether we see it yet or not, let us give thanks to the God who provides in abundance and fulfills all His good promises.
Psalm 106:7-12:
"Our fathers in Egypt did not grasp the significance of Your wonderful works or remember Your many acts of faithful love; instead, they rebelled by the sea — the Red Sea. Yet He saved them because of His name, to make His power known. He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; He led them through the depths as through a desert. He saved them from the hand of the adversary; He redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. Water covered their foes; not one of them remained. Then they believed His promises and sang His praise."
When God saved the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt, He did many great wonders and displayed His glory and power in the sight of all the nations. However, it didn't take long for them to forget His goodness. Psalm 106:13 says:
"They soon forgot His works and would not wait for His counsel."
We also have been saved by the same God, who is the one true and living God. He has saved and redeemed us by His great love and power. Just as the Israelites were brought out of slavery in Egypt, we too were brought out of our slavery to sin by the saving power of God. However, they forgot and rebelled again against the God who had given them freedom. Let us learn from their example and not forget what God has done for us. When things get hard and you feel like giving up, remember what God has done for you — how He saved you and made you His. We have hope and life for both now and forever! We must not let the distractions of the world and of our flesh cause us to forget the power of God. He will fight for us and will lead us home in victory, but we must hold on to faith. Later in the Psalm in verse 47 we read:
"Save us, Yahweh our God, and gather us from the nations, so that we may give thanks to Your holy name and rejoice in Your praise.”
He has answered this prayer by saving us, so that we can do what Israel did not and remember the grace and faithfulness of God always. Therefore, our salvation in Jesus is the foundation of our thanksgiving and praise. Since Yahweh has saved us, let us rejoice and praise His name!
3) My Lighthouse by Rend Collective
This song is a joyful reminder that God is like a lighthouse to us. He leads us until we are safe at shore by the light of His truth, giving us peace and hope when the waters of life get rough. We don't have to be afraid, even in these uncertain and difficult times, because the darkness cannot stand against the light — and we have that light within us.
Psalm 43:3-4:
"Send forth Your light and Your truth; let them lead me. Let them bring me to Your holy mountain, to Your dwelling place. Then I will come to the altar of God, to God, my greatest joy. I will praise You with the lyre, God, my God."
4) See A Victory by Elevation Worship
Israel moved to Egypt in the time of Joseph. But before they became enslaved, Joseph spoke in faith about how God would come to their rescue and bring them to the land He had promised them. Joseph had also said to his brothers in Genesis 50:20:
"You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result — the survival of many people.”
Romans 8:28 also says:
"We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose."
There are times when we see God's working and stand in awe with joy at what He is doing. But there are also times when we don't understand what is going on and when He seems to be distant and we can't see Him at work. In those times, we have to trust and believe in His promises. He has promised that He will work everything for our good, just like He did for Joseph. In the end, we will see victory, because He won it for us, and nothing can stand against Him. If you feel like you are losing right now and victory seems far away, remember that God is greater than anything you face. He never fails, He is faithful, and He has promised to work all things for the good of those who love Him. So keep seeking Him and trusting in His timing, and you will see a victory.
1 Corinthians 15:54-58:
"When this corruptible is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?' Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immoveable, always excelling in the Lord's work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
Scriptures:
Genesis 50:20
Exodus 1-16 (esp. 13-15)
1 Samuel 17
1 Kings 18:41-45
Psalms 43, 74, 77, 78, 80, 81, 85, 105, 106, 114, 116, 126
Matthew 9:37-38
John 14:27
Romans 15:1-13
1 Corinthians 10:1-14, 15:50-58
Ephesians 1-2