SCRIPTURE:
“And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, ‘For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.’”
Ezra 3:11
OBSERVATION:
Ezra 3 captures an exciting moment in Israel’s history. King Cyrus of Persia had decreed that the exiles could return to Jerusalem, and now they were not only returning home but rebuilding the temple and restoring worship.
As the foundation of the temple was laid, the people responded by singing, praising, and giving thanks to the Lord. Their worship wasn’t random or manufactured. It was a response to who God is and what He had done.
APPLICATION:
There are so many eloquent phrases attempting to define worship, an act that is ultimately unto God. And while they are all worth considering, when I’m searching for an answer, I’m reminded that I can always go back to the truth of God’s Word.
Today in Ezra, as the people lay the foundation of the temple, Scripture says they “sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord.”
Praise. Thanksgiving. Worship. Maybe it really can be that simple. Worship is our response to God for who He is and what He has done.
God is good. His steadfast love endures forever. He has been faithful throughout generations. And when I recognize who He is and what He has done, the natural response should be gratitude expressed through worship.
Sometimes I think we complicate worship in an attempt to inspire people, when perhaps our greater calling is simply to present it clearly enough that people can see it, experience it, and embody it.
As a musician and someone who has a deep affinity for creative expressions of worship, I believe music and the arts are powerful ways to express this response. Scripture repeatedly calls us to sing. David danced. And in Job, God describes creation itself as the morning stars singing together and the angels shouting for joy as the foundations of the earth were laid.
Creation itself was filled with worship.
What better response to a good and steadfast God than to sing, praise, and give thanks?
But music cannot be the endgame.
Worship cannot stop when the song ends.
Our corporate worship must become an individual response lived out through the way we love, serve, forgive, obey, and treat others. Love God. Love people. When those two commands are rooted in our hearts and expressed through our actions, we aren’t simply proclaiming that Jesus is Lord, we are giving others a reason to see Him and join in the praise.
So perhaps the greatest expression of my worship isn’t what my voice sings when the music starts, but what my life sings when the music stops.
PRAYER:
Jesus, so many well written songs, eloquently phrased sermons, all intended to give praise and thanks giving to You. May we never lose sight of our purpose or drift off mission. I pray for the courage and strength to use this season for renewal and rebuilding, re-firming the strong foundations upon which Your church was built. Amen
