Devotion 11/29, Sing to the Lord!

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.
Psalm 95:1-2

Our Father is calling us back from any “idol” that would hold us, anything that we would place in front of Him in our lives. Anything that steals our time and attention away from loving and serving Him. That may be in the form of a career, money, possessions, entertainment, another person….etc. God demands first place in our lives, and that is not an unreasonable expectation for He gave us breath and sustains us in this life (Matthew 6:33).
This psalm comes at the close of some dark days for Israel. The nation is being called back to the worship of the only true God Jehovah, back from the idols and false gods that they had been serving. A call back to their Creator, to their Father, to their first love!
But the message is relevant for us too in this enthusiastic psalm.

God is so delighted when we sing praises to Him, when our hearts are centered on Him and filled with joy that overflows for our precious Lord. Nehemiah 8:10 tells us “the joy of the Lord is my strength.” And indeed it is, when our focus is fixed on Him we cannot help but come before Him singing joyfully!
He is the Rock of our salvation, and we are safe in the cleft of the Rock. Nothing can ever take our salvation away, it is secure in Him.

Joy knows no better explanation than laughter and song. We sing to the Lord because we are joyful! Our music is not inhibited or held back, but exuberant and as full of sound as it is of heart. I love being at the front of the church, singing in our choir and hearing our congregation’s passion for singing to the Lord. Such a joyful and thankful passion for our Lord can be heard. Thanksgiving brings us into the Father’s presence and it is our joy at being saved that leads us to sing!

Glorious God, thank you so much for saving me from sin, death, law, and futility. Thank you for saving me and giving me the assurance, through your Holy Spirit, that I can come before you with exuberant and overflowing joy. Your love and grace have not only given me hope but have made me your child. Hear my heart and be blessed by my songs of praise. In the name of Jesus I pray and will shout your praise forever and ever. Amen.

Lord, the majesty of all your creation makes me want to shout and sing your praises, to share your love for me. Everytime I take my focus off you, satan tries to blur my mind with want, envy, anger, disappointment, etc. I pray for strength of focus, that my words and actions are pleasing to You and a witness for You to others. I sing all praise and glory are yours from my heart. Thank you for all that I am and help me to be a your servant today and even better tomorrow. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.