Worshiping in Awe

Sustaining Hope
Visions of Grandeur

God's Divine Glory Returns

Psalm 5   The Message

A David Psalm

5 ^1-3 Listen, God! Please, pay attention!
Can you make sense of these ramblings,
my groans and cries?
    King-God, I need your help.
Every morning
    you’ll hear me at it again.
Every morning
    I lay out the pieces of my life
    on your altar
    and watch for fire to descend.

^4-6 You don’t socialize with Wicked,
    or invite Evil over as your houseguest.
Hot-Air-Boaster collapses in front of you;
    you shake your head over Mischief-Maker.
God destroys Lie-Speaker;
    Blood-Thirsty and Truth-Bender disgust you.

^7-8 And here I am, your invited guest—
    it’s incredible!
I enter your house; here I am,
    prostrate in your inner sanctum,
Waiting for directions
    to get me safely through enemy lines.

^9-10 Every word they speak is a land mine;
    their lungs breathe out poison gas.
Their throats are gaping graves,
    their tongues slick as mudslides.
Pile on the guilt, God!
    Let their so-called wisdom wreck them.
Kick them out! They’ve had their chance.

^11-12 But you’ll welcome us with open arms
    when we run for cover to you.
Let the party last all night!
    Stand guard over our celebration.
You are famous, God, for welcoming God-seekers,
    for decking us out in delight.

For Reflection

Listen to David's words,  Hear the expressed devotion.  Understand David's assessment of his own fears in dealing with his world. Visualize his act of worship.

Sometimes, I think we have lost site of what it means to worship.  In this era of diminishing religiosity and church attendance we are pressured into finding ways to attract believers.  We ask questions as though the faithful were customers in order to bend our faith to fit their perceptions (however accurate) of what they think abiding in the faith means.  "What can the church do to attract you?"  What do you get out of Sunday Worship Service?

This is marketing religion not cultivating the faith.  How often do we discuss our faith and how it manifests in our action?  How often do we, the church, discuss how we pursue justice, compassion and peace?  What opportunities do we offer to practice the Way?  How does the church practice the Way?  Is the church just another social self-help group?  Or is the church a collective of Christians who meet to worship God in devotion and practice?

Pray
for the church as David has prayed for help.  Praise God for whispered words of wisdom and comfort.  Pray that you never forget what it means to be a God seeker.  Pray that you seek to worship God in word and deed.  Pray to make God worship your first priority.