Worship Devotional LXXII
Originally posted to the Facebook group on 5/8/2021.
Worship Devotional for 5/9/21
~ Mother's Day ~
Christ is risen — He is risen indeed! Now we also are alive in Him, because by faith we are both crucified to our sins through His death on the cross and raised to new life by His Spirit through His resurrection from the grave. And that means that even in the hardest times, we can still rejoice and believe as we endure every trial, because Jesus is alive! This is what we sang about last week on Orthodox Easter.
As we stand on the foundational truth of Jesus resurrection, knowing that He is indeed risen from the grave and that death has been forever defeated, we hold onto a hope that does not fail, no matter what we go through in this life and in this world. Other things which people put false hope in may seem to last through certain circumstances, but they collapse and crumble and fall apart when things get dark enough or hard enough or bad enough. But the hope that is in Jesus Christ will never fail, no matter what! Through the best times, the worst times, and all the times in between:
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).
As we live our lives and deal with the various facets of life — such as family, work, politics, possessions, etc. — our hearts are prone to wander off in pursuit of idols and lies. Our minds are filled with the cares and worries of the world as all the things around us vie for our attention, distracting us from what really matters and from the One who truly satisfies. But because our Savior is risen and alive, when we look to Him, we have a living hope in a God who is able and willing to help us. He gives us peace as we learn to trust in Him, letting go of our worries and our trust in our own abilities, and walking by faith and by His Spirit through each and every circumstance in our lives. This week, having remembered and rejoiced in the resurrection of Jesus and our share in His life, we are singing about how sweet it is to look to and trust in Him alone as we live out the days which God has given us. God is sovereign over our lives, and He cares deeply about each of us and our families.
As we remember, honor, and celebrate our moms this Sunday, we praise God for how He uses them to form and shape our lives and to guide us through this life, and for the blessing that they are to all of us. We are praising God for how He wonderfully and sovereignly formed us in their wombs, and for the extent of His favor to the descendants of those who love Him and fear His name for a thousand generations. Let's give thanks to God for the women who carried and bore and raised and nurtured us this week as we sing and praise God for His love and care for us and for His great promises and His great faithfulness.
Whatever your experience with your mother, whether good or bad or some of both, remember that God used her to bring you into the world, and He loves you and is for you, and He calls every one of us who will believe to come and find the life and hope and joy and peace that is real, which is found only in Him.
Songs:
1) Psalm 139 (Far Too Wonderful) by Shane & Shane
Psalm 139:
"Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I stand up; You understand my thoughts from far away. You observe my travels and my rest; You are aware of all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, Lord. You have encircled me; You have placed Your hand on me. This extraordinary knowledge is beyond me. It is lofty; I am unable to reach it.
Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. If I live at the eastern horizon or settle at the western limits, even there Your hand will hold on to me. If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light around me will be night' — even the darkness is not dark to You. The night shines like the day; darkness and light are alike to You.
For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well. My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began.
God, how difficult Your thoughts are for me to comprehend; how vast their sum is! If I counted them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I wake up, I am still with You.
God, if only You would kill the wicked — you bloodthirsty men, stay away from me — who invoke You deceitfully. Your enemies swear by You falsely. Lord, don't I hate those who hate You, and detest those who rebel against You? I hate them with extreme hatred; I consider them my enemies.
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way."
2) I Will Look Up by Elevation Worship
Philippians 4:4-9:
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise — dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you."
1 Peter 5:5-11:
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.
Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him and be firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.
Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support your after you have suffered a little. The dominion belongs to Him forever. Amen."
3) The Blessing by Elevation Worship
Numbers 6:22-27:
"The Lord said to Moses: 'Tell Aaron and his sons how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
May Yahweh bless you and protect you; may Yahweh make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may Yahweh look with favor on you and give you peace.
In this way they will pronounce My name over the Israelites, and I will bless them.'"
Deuteronomy 7:9:
"Know that Yahweh your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His gracious covenant loyalty for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commands."
Psalm 121:5-8:
"The Lord protects you; the Lord is a shelter right by your side. The sun will not strike you by day or the moon by night.
The Lord will protect you from all harm; He will protect your life. The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever."
Psalm 56:8-11:
"You Yourself have recorded my wanderings. Put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your records? Then my enemies will retreat on the day when I call. This I know: God is for me.
In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
Ephesians 3:14-21:
"For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit, and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God's love, and to know the Messiah's love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us — to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
4) 'Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus
Written by Louisa M. R. Stead in 1882, this hymn is a declaration of how sweet it is to trust completely in Jesus. Louisa Stead and her daughter had witnessed their husband and father, Mr. Stead, drown in an attempt to save a drowning child. This put them in a situation where Louisa had to rely on God to provide for them. She learned to trust in the Lord in the midst of the pain and heartache of her loss, and she found something that she described as "so sweet." For those of us who have put our trust in Jesus, we know what she was talking about. No matter what we have to face in this life, we have a sure and steady anchor, a steadfast hope that can never fail, to put our trust in. Jesus is sure and true and faithful, and is it so sweet indeed to trust in Him and not ourselves.
Theme(s): Trusting in Jesus, The blessing and favor of the Lord to all generations through Jesus, Peace through prayer instead of anxiety and worry
Scripture references:
Exodus 20:4-6 & 12
Numbers 6:22-27
Deuteronomy 7:9, 31:8
Joshua 1:9
Psalms 22, 56, 67, 90, 103, 121, 139
Matthew 28:18-20
Ephesians 3:8-21
Philippians 2:1-11, 4:4-9
Hebrews 12:1-2, 13:5-8
1 Peter 5:5-11