Journal Ps 149-150 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)
Scripture: “Praise the Lord!!
Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly!
Let Israel be glad in his Maker.
Let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody with tambourine and lyre!
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.
Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their throats…” Ps 149:1-6a
Observation: A description of a worship standard…
Application: If this is a worship standard, then I am a poor excuse of a worshipper.
I recall the scripture about being “a fool” or “foolish” for the sake of Christ:
- “We are fools for Christ’s sake…” 1 Cor 4:10
- “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise…” 1 Cor 1:27
Yes, these references are slightly out of context, but the principle is directionally correct. There are actions that God directs Christians doing that are visually and actionably foolish looking. (Remember Joshua directing a march around a fortified city (Jericho) and blowing ram horns? Do I think there was some Bronx cheers going on from the fortifications? Little old David going out to the local equivalent of Ndamukong Suh?)
And what do I do? I pull these warfare examples right into the battle of the Ego, the territory of Pride, the fear of Man.
Why don’t I dance? Why don’t I raise my hands high? If I do raise my hands, why do I stop somewhere between my waist and my shoulders, hardly ever reaching for the sky?
Why don’t I sing loud? Sing new songs that spontaneously come to mind? Why don’t I clap?
I know why I don’t…ya’ll will look at me and think bad things about me.
But this is the battle I must wage along with every other battle that God assigns me to—although, if I can’t successfully wage battle with my man-fear for something as foundational as Worship…what good am I on other battlefields?
Prayer: Father, even though I have wrestled with this from decades past, my Man-fear ebbs and wanes every day—I am never ALWAYS successful.
Just like Elijah, he had a tremendous activity with the Baal priests, totally bad-xxx, and then ran from Jezebel to go shivering and hiding in a cave. While I am certainly no Elijah, I get the bi-polar type of spiritual reaction—rejoicing in the heights, plummeting to the valley, and do not know why only that I have to reach for you anew.
I am reminded that the Walk doesn’t have momentum, I must make an effort every day.
AMEN.
Ricky Two Shoes