I have been in a very rough season. The past 9 months have been some of the most difficult of my life. I have been in deep despair and depression over circumstances completely out of my control. In the midst of this God has been teaching me about praise and worship.
I have thought a lot about Paul and Silas in Acts 16. They had delivered a slave girl from a demon spirit and her owners were hopping mad. They seized Paul and Silas and drug them off to face the authorities. The Roman officials ordered Paul and Silas to be stripped and beaten with rods on their bare backs. After they had been severely beaten, they were thrown into prison and their hands and feet were bound with chains.
If that had been me, I would definitely be wallowing in self pity! I would be crying out to God saying, "Hey, I was working for You and this happened to me! What gives? Why did you abandon me?" Thankfully, it wasn't me in that situation. What did Paul and Silas do? Let's pick it up in Scripture.
Acts 16:25 (The Passion Translation)
Paul and Silas, undaunted, prayed in the middle of the night and sang songs of praise to God, while all the other prisoners listened to their worship.
Remember, they had been beaten with rods on their bare backs. They didn't get to phone a friend. No one attended to their wounds. They were in the innermost part of the prison. Most likely in pitch black darkness. Chains on their wrists and ankles. UNDAUNTED, they prayed and worshiped the Lord! In the most dire of circumstances, they praised God. They didn't complain or hold a pity party. They praised.
As I have cried out to the Lord in the past months, I have heard repeatedly from Him, "Just praise Me." It has not been easy, but when I have followed in obedience, it has blessed me!
This past week, the Bible Study Fellowship lesson has been on chapters 5 and 6 of 2 Samuel. It's a passage I've read many times before and heard many sermons on but this week one little part really stood out to me. In chapter 5, David had attempted to move the Ark of the Lord but it did not go well. In chapter 6, he tried again but this time, he did it all according to Scripture and with much praise and worship.
2 Samuel 6:14a (New Living Translation)
And David danced before the LORD with all his might...
David danced with all his might! There was a choir, rams' horns blowing, shouts of joy, and dancing. It was a wonderful celebration! There was just one problem.
David's wife, Michal, was disgusted with her husband, King David. She did not join in the celebration and as she watched from her window she couldn't believe that a king would lower himself like a common person dancing in the streets.
The Scripture tells us that after David blessed the people and sent them home with gifts, he went home to bless his family but Michal went out to meet him raving at him for what he had done. David replied that he was celebrating before the LORD who had appointed him to be king. He gave God all the credit for his position and he went on to say that he would be willing to look even more foolish, even to be humiliated in his own eyes as he worshiped. David had learned to rely on God. The LORD was everything to him.
Michal never knew David was coming to bless her even though she did not join him in worshiping. Because she was so worried about what people would think, she did not worship and worse, she missed being blessed by her husband.
I pray that the Lord would give me a heart like David. Oh Lord, help me to worship You with abandon with no thoughts as to what others might think of me! No matter my circumstances, may I always worship You, for You alone are worthy of all my praise!
Psalm 89:15 (The Passion Translation)
O LORD, how blessed are the people who experience the shout of worship, for they walk in the radiance of Your presence.
And what happened to Paul and Silas?
Acts 16:20 (The Passion Translation)
Suddenly, a great earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. All at once every prison door flung open and the chains of all the prisoners came loose.
Not only were Paul and Silas blessed, but all the prisoners were freed as well!
Do you need a blessing? Then worship. Worship with all your might!
