Psalms

Jamie Anderson

Read: Psalms - take your pick; they're all good!

Have you ever been faced with something that seems so unreal, so shocking that you can't figure out why you're facing it, let alone how your going to survive it?

Maybe it's a mountain of debt, a serious health concern, or a family crisis. Maybe it's a job, the need for a bigger house or better car. Maybe it's what you're going to wear today! I know that last one seems silly but so many of us struggle with feeling good on the inside because of the outside. These are things that "war" on our spirits, minds and even our bodies.

On a recent trip to the USA I was on a mission to buy one of these little silicon bracelets only to find out you can find millions of them with statements like "Cool Dude", "Breast Cancer Awareness", "Pray Hard Until Something Happens or P.U.S.H." but the one I wanted, I just couldn't find. I Looked everywhere for it with no luck. Finally, 3 days before returning back to London I commented in conversation about these bracelets and that I couldn't find the one I wanted, when my friend said, "We have those. We bought a box of them this year, let me go get you some."

Wow - just like that a simple comment in the right place and my challenge was over. I finally was going to have my little yellow bracelet with the words "Live Strong" on it.

Was this a war? Not really. Did I worship to win it? Uh, well no or maybe yes.. that all depends on what worship means to you.

For me, worship is the act of putting my faith, trust and submission in God's hands by saying.."help, God. I need you. I need you so much I can't do it without you." It is to say that God is more important to me than ANYTHING else ever could or should be. What makes worship so easy is, that like prayer, all you have to do is open your heart to receive and your mouth to speak what is in your spirit.

I made a simple comment to a friend about a silly thing and I got it.

This is the perfect example of worship. It is simple, you do it to God - your best friend, about anything and He pulls through! You don't even have to be concerned anymore.

What's the war? Well what faces you today? Is it debt, a serious health concern, or a family crisis? Is it a job or lack of one, the need for a bigger house or better car? Is it what you're going to wear today? The point is no matter what faces you God is near and when you begin to worship Him, He moves from near to here. "Here I am, with you." The word says.

If we are close to God we are far from the attempts to defeat us and we no longer focus on the challenge but begin to look through the eyes of our provider, our helper; our God.

To paraphrase a well known song by Matt Redman:

"When it fades and all is stripped away and we choose just to come, longing to bring something that's of worth, that will bless the heart of God, we bring more than a song.

For a song in itself is not what God has required. He searches much deeper within,
through the way things appear and looks into our heart."

David (from the Bible) knew full well the power of worship and how it played an important role in his life as King - just read the BOOK of Psalms and he was known as a man after God's own heart.

Instead of fighting your wars with your own strength and power try this. Close your eyes, lift your hands, open your heart and let God know what your feeling (even though he knows - you need to hear yourself tell Him), start with the whining and complaining about your problems and the difficulties - go on, get it all out; David did.

I promise it won't be too long before you change your tone, change your words, stop complaining and start saying; "I love you, I need you, you care for me, you won't let me down. You are all I need"

Your worship will win your war!