Worship
Scripture
I love how Psalm 107 begins: let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story. I grew up in church, and for the longest time I would hear testimonies of people’s whose lives where caught up in drugs, prostitution, etc. and how Jesus had transformed them. It was incredible! The entire congregation would clap and praise when these lives changed, and rightly so. At the same time, it made me incredibly insecure. To my ignorant eyes, I had no impactful testimony that would be clear evidence of Jesus in my life. Was I even a Christian if I had no before and after? I was too young, but I later came to see the impact that Jesus had in my life and family. What some would call a testimony.
In Psalm 107, we see constant affliction, pain, wrong decisions, famine, darkness, bitterness, rebellion, suffering, and many other troubles followed by God stepping in and exchanging the negative to a positive. Four times, Psalm 107:6, 13, 19, 28 says, “Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress.” God is stepping into their lives and transforming them. Regardless of their innocence, or if they had rebelled against the Lord. These are followed by Psalm 107:32 “Let them exalt Him in the assembly of the people and praise Him in the council of the elders.”
I do not know if you have a before and after testimony of how Jesus changed your life. I remember when I thought I did not. My pastor told me, “That is your testimony! That you’ve been with Jesus. That is the testimony we all hope for.” Or maybe you have a before that you do not even want to remember because of how bad you think you were. Regardless of where you stand, you have been touched by God’s unfailing love and grace. We have a duty to exalt Him in the assembly of the people and praise Him in the council of the elders. In other words, wherever we go we are to proclaim the goodness of His love and the impact that He has in our lives.
Prayer
HONOR GOD
Psalm 147:5
How great is our God! There’s absolutely nothing His power cannot accomplish, and He has infinite understanding of everything.
Thank you Lord, that I don’t have to understand every aspect of my situations. You understand it all when I do not, and are able to do what I can not.
ASK GOD
2 Samuel 22:7
I called to the Lord in my distress; i called to my God. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help reached his ears.
God is listening and hears every desperate cry.
SUBMIT TO GOD
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.
I relinquish all control to you Lord. Your path for my life will always be better than anything that I could do on my own.
CLOSING PRAYER
Lord, thank you for your abundant, abounding grace. Thank you that we don’t have to earn a drop of the mighty river of grace that flows freely for us today. Thank you for the unexpected, unmerited favor you’ve showered on my life. Help me put myself in the path of your love and grace. Help me not neglect the disciplines I need to meet with you regularly and to drink from the water of life. Thank you for your rich love. In Jesus Name, Amen.