Caring and Worship

Praise and Worship; Meditation in Worship; Prayer and Worship; Music and Worship; but Caring and Worship?  What could possibly tie Caring and Worship together?  For those who know the one true God…worship is what we do and who we are.  Wait a minute, though – if worship is what we do and who we are  -  then the doing and the being are integrally involved with our condition  … how we are, who we are, what our needs are.

Is it possible that in our worshipping we are not only being formed and transformed but in the transforming being cared for as well?

Let’s look at a few of the things that may be impacted when we worship – when we concentrate on who God really is – as Sovereign Lord, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Comforter, the Provider, the Keeper of our souls, the Worthy One, the One who has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.

In Psalm 27 the Lord addresses our fears:

“The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?  When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear. Though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.”  These fears are extraneous – my confidence and my solution in the midst of adversaries, difficulties and struggles rests in the One who is worthy of my worship and praise.  In this Psalm, God gives implicit assurance of His presence.  When we seek Him in Worship, He promises that we will find Him – One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek;  That I may dwell in the house of the Lord and to seek him in his temple

He promises safety in times of trouble:

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling, He will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.  He lifts me up when I am struggling with those around me: Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; At his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord.  My heart says of you, Seek his face!  Your face, Lord, I will seek.

When I feel alone:

I need not hide my face from Him.  He will not turn His servant away in anger;  He has been my helper.  Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.  Though my father and mother forsake me,

He welcomes me into His presence with arms open wide.  The Lord will receive me.  Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.  I am still confident of this; I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

In Psalm 34 I learn how to worship and discover that He hears me:

I will extol the Lord at all times.  His praise will always be on my lips.  My soul will boast in the Lord; Let the afflicted hear and rejoice.  Glorify the Lord with me, Let us exalt His name together.  He delivers me from fear and shame.   I sought the Lord, and he answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; Their faces are never covered with shame.  This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; He saved him out of all his troubles

He brings deliverance:

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him; And he delivers them. He is a place of safety and goodness and refuge. Taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.  Fear the Lord you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing. 

He keeps me from evil:

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.  Turn from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.

He is close to all the brokenhearted:

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.  A righteous man may have many troubles, But the Lord delivers him from them all; He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.

The Lord redeems:

No one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.  In Psalm 46 He keeps us through calamity:  God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way And the mountains fall into the heart of the sea - Though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

His is a place of peace:

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.  The Lord Almighty is with us; The God of Jacob is our fortress. Come see the works of the Lord, The desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth, He breaks the bow and shatters the spear, He burns the shields with fire.  Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.  The Lord Almighty is with us; The God of Jacob is our fortress.

Deliverance from fears; safety in trouble; companionship when I am lonely; deliverance from evil; His presence when I am brokenhearted; redemption; peace He is the loving God, the provider of all that I need and He is worthy of all my worship and praise!