Worship Devotional LXXXVI
Originally posted to the Facebook group on 8/28/2021.
Worship Devotional for 8/29/21
Last week we sang about a simple yet profound and foundational truth, which though we have said and heard and sung many times before, can still be hard to believe in difficult times. That truth is that God is good. We know that He is good, that He defines what is good, and that all that comes from Him is good. We know that this remains true even when times are hard and circumstances are painful and things are uncertain. This truth that God is good is able to lead and guide and carry us through such times, to keep us on the right path, and to turn our hearts and minds back to God and to His life and away from death. So, since it is so important that we understand and not just know, but really believe from the heart this truth, we must ask ourselves if we do indeed believe it — that is, do our actions line up with our words?
In the midst of trial and tribulation, it can be hard to say that God is still good. We sang about that last week. But what about when things are going well and we feel good and life seems manageable? What about in times of plenty and abundance, when we have the things we need and want? In those times, it can be easy to say that God is good. But do we really believe it?
If we really believe that God is good, then we must realize that as the eternal and holy Creator of all things, He is better than anything and everything. He is so far superior that there is no comparison. The things that we pursue in this world in the hope that they can somehow satisfy our deepest longings will fall utterly short and will ultimately fail us and leave us wanting. Only God, who made us for His glory and for His delight, can truly satisfy our hearts. So whether we are faced with hardship and struggle or with comfort and success, we must look to the Lord who is good and surrender our ever-wandering hearts to His truth. For in pursuing the things of the world, we will only be left with desolation, emptiness, and brokenness. But in trading our dependence on worldly things for trusting in the Lord to satisfy us with His faithful and everlasting love, we will find only life and peace and joy for all eternity, to the glory of God. Let's live like that!
Philippians 4:12-13:
"I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content — whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me."
Songs:
1) Open The Eyes Of My Heart by Paul Baloche
Ephesians 1:16-23 (ESV):
"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His great might that He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things under His feet and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."
Hebrews 12:1-2:
"Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God's throne."
This week we pray that God would open our heart's eyes to see that He is truly better than the worldly things around us that vie for our attention and devotion. May our hearts and minds be set on Him as we live out our lives on this earth for His glory, waiting for the day when we will finally be home in His presence for eternity when He makes all things new. May our eyes be open to this hope that we have in Christ, which is able to guard our hearts even through the darkest valleys and to deliver us safely to Him when all is said and done. May we see more and more every day just how sufficient and all-satisfying is the love of our God the Father through Jesus Christ His Son.
Psalm 63:1-3:
"God, You are my God; I eagerly seek You. I thirst for You; my body faints for You in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water. So I gaze on You in the sanctuary to see Your strength and Your glory. My lips will glorify You because Your faithful love is better than life."
3) Psalm 90 (Satisfy Us With Your Love) by Shane & Shane
Psalm 90:
"Lord, You have been our refuge in every generation. Before the mountains were born, before You gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity, You are God.
You return mankind to dust, saying, 'Return, descendants of Adam.' For in Your sight a thousand years are like yesterday that passes by, like a few hours of the night. You end their lives; they sleep. They are like grass that grows in the morning — in the morning it sprouts and grows; by evening it withers and dries up.
For we are consumed by Your anger; we are terrified by Your wrath; we end our years like a sigh. Our lives last seventy years or, if we are strong, eighty years. Even the best of them are struggle and sorrow; indeed they pass quickly and we fly away. Who understands the power of Your anger? Your wrath matches the fear that is due You. Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.
Lord — how long? Turn and have compassion on Your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with Your faithful love so that we may shout with joy and be glad all our days. Make us rejoice for as many days as You have humbled us, for as many years as we have seen adversity. Let Your work be seen by Your servants, and Your splendor by their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us; establish for us the work of our hands — establish the work of our hands!"
4) Graves Into Gardens by Elevation Worship
Nothing compares to the One who created us for His eternal glory. Nothing is better than knowing Him, loving Him, and serving Him with all that we are. He is the One who can turn things around for our good. He turns mourning to dancing, ashes to beauty, and shame to glory. He can turn graves into gardens, bones into armies, and seas into highways. There is no one like our God, and nothing else can satisfy forever but His love.
5) Christ Is Mine Forevermore by CityAlight
Song Of Songs 2:16 says:
"My love is mine and I am his..."
This is true for the church and Christ as well. How deep and amazing the mystery that we can say that Christ is ours and we are His! God has redeemed us by purchasing us back from sin and death with the blood of His Son that was shed for us. He has given us salvation and adopted us as His children, born again by the Spirit of God into a new and eternal life in Christ. He is our God and our Father, and we belong to Him. But how great is His love that He would also give Himself to us, so that we can say that Christ is ours! The Lord is our portion and our reward. His presence is our good, and His love is what satisfies our hearts forever. Hallelujah! In Him we have all that we could ever need and more for all eternity, all because of His great love for us.
Theme(s): God's Love Satisfies, The Sufficiency of Christ
Scripture references:
Exodus 14-15
Psalms 30, 49, 63, 90
Ecclesiastes
Song Of Songs 2:16
Isaiah 61
Ezekiel 37
John 4:1-26, 5:24-30, 6, 7:37-39, 8:12, 11:25-26, 14:6, 16:33
Ephesians 1:17-23
Philippians (esp. 4:12-13)
Hebrews 12:1-2, 13