Image from makhop.org
View devotional: https://bit.ly/45SLxvm
Hear the devotional: https://bit.ly/3Eq07i9
1 Hallelujah! Sing to God a brand-new song, praise him in the company of all who love him. 2 Let all Israel celebrate their Sovereign Creator, Zion's children exult in their King. 3 Let them praise his name in dance; strike up the band and make great music! 4 And why? Because God delights in his people, festoons plain folk with salvation garlands! 5 Let true lovers break out in praise, sing out from wherever they're sitting, 6 Shout the high praises of God, brandish their swords in the wild sword-dance - 7 A portent of vengeance on the God-defying nations, a signal that punishment's coming, 8 Their kings chained and hauled off to jail, their leaders behind bars for good, 9 The judgment on them carried out to the letter - and all who love God in the seat of honor! Hallelujah! (Psalm 149 The Message Bible)
A blessed and happy Thursday to you, dear Friend. I thank you all for your prayers and for the emails and texts letting me know of your taking time to pray for me. That means more than you will ever know. I could feel your prayers and more so when I saw my doctor, who said he could find nothing wrong, other than the need for me to take some time to rest, and hydrate. Please continue to pray for Mr. Ramiro Garza, Jr., as he recovers from heart surgery. Prayers for Mrs. Bilha Alegria in Brentwood, TN. as she continues her battle with cancer. Pray for her strength to return after each chemo session. Ms. Dena Fritz has asked for prayers for her family. Dena’s sister-in-law Mary Ann Jorgensen passed away. Please keep the family in your prayers. Please keep all these requests in your heart and spirit; pray for all who have asked prayers of us, pray for each other, and pray for yourselves and your needs.
I read a pastor list how she handles the hymns for her Sunday services. She chooses well-known and beloved hymns for the first and last section of the service, and then the middle hymn she will introduce as "this weird hymn," where the congregation will sing a lesser known, or even new hymn. I cringe at the many hymns that I don't know, but especially the ones that I know that do make me cringe. I remember that now faded tradition of midweek worship when we would have a time for favorite hymns and people would raise their hands and shout out the hymn, and there was this one hymn that just didn't click for me. And if we didn't have a pianist that night, guess who would have to lead those delightful hymns. Yes. No bueno. I loved one church when our midweek pianist was a high school student would handed me on my first day there a list of maybe twenty hymns that he knew and would gladly play for worship. They were written neatly on a torn-out spiral notebook, and the boy was really good. But even with him playing that one dreadful hymn, no bueno.
The psalmist didn't worry about weird hymns. He was all about praising God, and more than likely, singing those hymns he himself composed. I'm all about praising God too, but know my limits when it comes to singing, well, weird hymns. David was about lifting up praises of gratitude towards God and in a corporate setting. I love singing hymns. I love hymn-sings, and I miss singing in Spanish, but I agree that this psalm is a call to genuine worship, not holding anything back, including dancing, using a band (other instruments besides organ and piano), and other ways of showing our love towards God for all God has done for us. Those believers who have given their lives to God, should rejoice in knowing the Creator and who know the unlimited power of God in their lives. I have referred to the joys of letting youth plan worship events where they hold nothing back and come up with a worship experience with colorful objects like balloons, posters, banners, skits, etc.
The psalmist also reminds us that God delights in us. That's a wonderful image for me, and I hope for you as well. Imagine your first glimpse of your baby, or niece or grandchild; and multiply that by a billion, and you get the image of God delighting in you! Add that to your time of praise and you will discover the power of praise. It has the power to defeat the negatives in your life, it breaks down the barriers that holds you captive, and free us to be the believers He's called us to be. I chuckle as I remember those church members who said they didn't worship in church because they were afraid of crowds and those were precisely the ones I would see at Friday football games, where the excitement of the music and the cheers "blessed" them more than being in Sunday worship. Ouch, am I stepping on toes here?
The psalmist concludes by speaking of the honor that comes to God's faithful through times of praise and worship, and the dishonor that waits those who have run away from God. Life is ours as believers, and an absence of life belongs to those who defy God. This psalm calls all of us into action to reach those who are trying to defy God.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, our hearts are filled with gratitude and joy, just as the psalmist in Psalm 149 calls us to celebrate You with all our being. We praise You, O Lord, for the gift of Your Word, which encourages us to sing a new song to You, to celebrate Your sovereign reign over our lives, and to worship You with hearts full of joy. We thank You for reminding us that You delight in Your people, and You clothe us with salvation. Help us to always remember that we are beloved and chosen by You. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Seek the God-defiers and invite them into the fellowship of faith.
Receive my blessings of joy and power,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
