Psalms – Prayers of Honesty
When we read words by humans inspired by God and whom God chose to write in His Word about Him, we are humbled. We are humbled because God’s Holy Spirit is sitting right here with us as we read. We are convicted of our own humanness before our great and mighty God. We are brought low, bowing, on our knees as we realize who the One and Only is who created us. When we posture ourselves in humility before Him, God has a way to reach down with His right hand and lift us up. He encourages us to look up, into his loving and gracious eyes and see Him for who He really is to us…our salvation.
God is everything we need, all that we desire and all that the world and us need. He is life. He is love unconditional. He is light in the dark places of insecurity. He is protector. He is provider. He is healer of all that our bodies endure. He is the Way as we go on our way. He is Truth that never changes and always will be, whether we choose to believe it or not.
We long for God for He created a longing for Him. But He does not force Himself on us. He wants us to want Him. He does not want us to come to Him because of duty although duty, thankfulness and obligation might bring us to Him to begin to know Him.
Pure worship is like breathing. We worship without thinking about it, planning it, arranging it, or exercising it. Pure worship is laying down who we think we are and what we think we can do to God. “Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.” (Romans 12) This is worship. This is God.As we read our next prayer of honesty in David’s greatest hits, another song is playing in the background of my mind,
Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that You’re my God…
Psalm 63, The Message
A David Psalm, When He Was out in the Judean Wilderness
God—you’re my God! I can’t get enough of you!
I’ve worked up such hunger and thirst for God,
traveling across dry and weary deserts.
2-4 So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open,
drinking in your strength and glory.
In your generous love I am really living at last!
My lips brim praises like fountains.
I bless you every time I take a breath;
My arms wave like banners of praise to you.
5-8 I eat my fill of prime rib and gravy; I smack my lips. It’s time to shout praises!
If I’m sleepless at midnight,
I spend the hours in grateful reflection.
Because you’ve always stood up for me,
I’m free to run and play.
I hold on to you for dear life,
and you hold me steady as a post.
9-11 Those who are out to get me are marked for doom,
marked for death, bound for hell.
They’ll die violent deaths;
jackals will tear them limb from limb.
But the king is glad in God;
his true friends spread the joy,
While small-minded gossips
are gagged for good.
SOMETHING TO CHEW…SOMETHING TO SING…
Light of the worldYou stepped down into darkness
Opened my eyes, let me see
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You
Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that You’re my God
You’re altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
King of all days
Oh so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly You came to the earth You created
All for love’s sake became poor
Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that You’re my God
HEART CHECK
Worship to God that is pleasing to Him includes how we love, honor and relate to each other. Worship of God does not include gossip, unkind words and actions toward each other. “…his true friends spread the joy, while small-minded gossips are gagged for good.” God wants His children to get along just like we parents and grandparents want that for our families.
Does our worship to God include gossip of others? Do we stop and consider God’s Truth in times of temptations to bring others down so that self power and self esteem can be lifted up artificially. That leads us to dry deserts where there is no Living Water.
God lifts those who bow down.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Here I am to worship. Here I am to bow down. Here I am to say that you’re my God.
In Jesus Name, Amen
