I saw myself in the midst of the day, in the middle of the struggle, wrestling with change…and I was bound. As if a cord was wrapped around me multiple times, it felt hard to move. Then I heard one word, “Worship”. When I heard that word, it felt like an impossible request. I felt so bound that I didn’t even know how to start. It was as if the cord around me was also around my vocal cords. I heard again, “Worship”. I began to feel my insides beginning to respond. And then I felt worship. Yes, I typed that correctly. I felt worship.
True worship begins inside. Before a sound escapes your lips. Worship begins in our spirit and bursts forth through our flesh. It comes from our connectedness with heaven. Our spirit, once it’s saved by grace, becomes eternally connected with heavenly places. It’s in alignment with God. That’s where authentic worship comes from.
Worship brings the absolute best feeling of freedom.
It’s always baffling to me how difficult it is to begin worshiping sometimes. When we are sad, angry, worried, frustrated…worship can seem like the last thing we should do, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Worship is the answer.
As I prepared to embark on this year long commitment to write devotionals again, I heard God saying, “You’re going to worship your way through this year. You will have to worship if you are going to write.”
Worship is the answer.
Have you ever felt the call to worship, yet everything inside of you resists?
The battle between our spirit and our flesh can be intense. Reaching past our flesh and grasping onto our spirit can feel nearly impossible. But it is always worth it.
We should worship even when we don’t “feel” like it. Even when we are in the midst of worship, and still don’t feel focused in it…we should continue to press forward…because if/when we do, we will always find Him.
Our first Love.
The only One worthy of worship.
I encourage you to lean into worship today. Let this week begin with an attitude of worship. Let it not be the worship of Sunday morning, with the crowd. Let it be the worship from one to One. Let it be worship fully focused and surrendered to our King of kings. Let that worship center you as this week begins. Let it establish you.
Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” And instantly, I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. the One sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones- like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled His throne like a rainbow. Twenty-four thrones surrounded Him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God. In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal. In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty- the One Who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the One sitting on the throne (the One Who lives forever and ever), the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the One sitting on the throne (the One Who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For You created all things, and they exist because You created what You pleased.” Revelation 4
365 Days in the Presence 