The Invitation

 
THE INVITATION

“The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: “He is good; his love endures forever.” Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God.” – 2 Chronicles‬ ‭5:13-14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What an awesome, if not terrifying, sight that must have been, to see the glory of the Lord filling the temple! Had I been in that congregation, I suspect my knees would have buckled and my face would have been firmly planted on the floor.

A powerful lesson is tucked, half-hidden in these verses.  It wasn’t during a prayer or sermon that the glory of God fell in that place, but during worship.  When they shifted the focus of their attention from their needs and themselves to acknowledge the Lord and His goodness, those in attendance encountered the glory of God.  

Worship is more than an action and an attitude.  Worship is a place of meeting and an invitation to exchange.  It not only draws us to enter in and offer praise, but it invites the enthronement of God, who offers peace (Ps 16:11) and the strength of His joy (Neh 8:10) in return.

Psalm 100:4 not only gives us the actual path worshipers of old would have travelled in entering the temple to worship, but the same spiritual path we take today to come before Him.

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” – Psalm 100:4

Nothing escapes the Lord’s attention.  Along with every word of thanksgiving, praise or worship offered, He also hears our grumbling and complaints. 

Our words are powerful things. They can invite the glory of God as we worship, or the displeasure of God in our grumbling (Num 11:1). 

There is no grumbling gate by which to enter His peace. No amount of grumbling can ever lead to joy.  Lord, help us to enter Your gate with thanksgiving!

Father, we thank You that by the blood of Jesus we are welcome before You, and that Your love for us does not change based on our behavior.

Do a transforming work within us, that we will offer humble petitions with thankfulness and faith that lead to joy.  Thank you that Your love for us is consistent, even when we complain.  But mature us, so we will leave behind grumbling prayers that lead to unhappiness, and instead choose worship that invites Your peace and glory.

May our many blessings will make us grateful instead of spoiled.

Lord, we turn to You. Open our eyes to see You and our blessings, so we can thank You for each and every one. We invite Your presence with grateful hearts. Lord, You are good; Your love endures forever!  In Jesus’ Name ❤️

https://www.facebook.com/Prayers-of-a-Ragamuffin-Warrior-171515087035441/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A City On A Hill

Image
A CITY ON A HILL By:  Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “You are light for the world. A city cannot be hidden when it is located on a hill. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket. Instead, everyone who lights a lamp puts it on a lamp stand. Then its light shines on everyone in the house.” – Matthew‬ ‭5:14-15‬ ‭GW‬‬ And I saw thousands of souls struggling in a churning sea.  Under the darkness of a moonless sky, without a boat, they were tossed.  Beneath them sharks swam, nipping at heels, eliciting sharp cries from those who flailed.  It caused them to cling to their neighbor, pushing them to submerge, sputter and gasp.  Exhaustion, chaos and hopelessness hovered over the waters like a mist, obscuring the small points of light that seeped out from around the boarded windows of the nearby city on a hill.  The city on a hill—a beacon of hope to those drowning, contained behind windows shuttered with fear. Lord, we see chaos all around us —man’s inhumanity to man— fear, anxiet
Read more

Paul’s Handkerchief Prayer

Image
Good morning, my friend!  Good morning, Father! “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” - Deuteronomy 31:6 Lord, we don’t have to be the only one in a room to feel alone.  We can be in a coliseum full of people and still feel lonely.  We feel alone in our skin.  You encourage us to not forsake meeting together as a church (Hebrews 10:25), but it is the internal companionship that keeps us from feeling loneliness in that packed coliseum. Father, I lift my friend.  Your Word says that where two or more are gathered in Your Name, You are there in the midst of them.  So Lord, as in Acts 19:12 when Paul sent a blessed handkerchief to the sick and they were healed, likewise, across time and space I take hands with Your precious child.  Together we bow before You and admit we need You.  We invite Your presence.  If they feel lonely or alone today, in their life or in
Read more

Beauty Among the Ashes

Image
Good morning, my friend!  Good morning, Father!   “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that   I would see the goodness of the Lord in  the land of the living.   Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage,   And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” - Psalm 27:13-14 Father, we thank You that with You all things are possible.  All around us there are financial troubles, poverty, disease, depression, anxiety, divorces, confusion, disappointment, illness, loss, pain and grief.  The list goes on and on.  People are suffering, Father, and are clinging to the last vestiges of hope.   Lord, I lift up my friend.  You know precisely what weighs on their mind today, and which troubling thoughts strike fear in their heart.  Long seasons of struggle bring with them weariness and discouragement.  I cry out to You on their behalf, Lord.  You are able.  We ask for miracles.  Nothing is too difficult for You.  We ask that You take what the enemy intended for evil
Read more