WHY YOUR WORSHIP COUNTS –

The compilers of the Psalter now start putting together a collection of psalms that call God’s children to worship Him and be thankful that He is their God. After Hezekiah became king of Judah at age 29, in the first month of his reign he repaired the doors to the temple. He summoned the priests and Levites to meet him at the courtyard east of the Temple; there he told them to prepare themselves to lead the worship services that would soon begin. After the people arrived he had them all kneel down and begin praising God while the musicians sang. 2 Chronicles 29:30 doesn’t tell us exactly which song of David or Asaph they chose, but they couldn’t have done much better than this one.

“Let praises rise to the LORD Eternal from all over the world! And as you assemble for worship in the presence of the LORD Eternal, do so with cheerfulness and shouts of joy. Magnify Him as the Eternal LORD, your One True God. After all, He made us what we are, and now shepherds us as His own flock. Enter the doors of the sanctuary and into the place of worship with thankfulness and praise. Yes, worship Him by bestowing honor on Him for who He is. For the LORD Eternal is compassionate, and His undying love will never end; He will be faithful to generation after generation.” Psalm 100:1-5

Reflection: On Easter Sunday, March 24, 1799, the citizens of Feldkirch, a city near Austria’s border with Switzerland, didn’t know what to do. A 15,000 strong French army stood on the hilltops above the city, ready to attack. The city councilmen hastily met to decide whether to try and defend the town or raise the white flag of surrender. As the people gathered in church for worship, the pastor rose and said, “Friends, we counted on our own self-defense, but that will not be enough. This being the day of our Lord’s resurrection, let us ring the bells as usual, conduct our services as always, and leave the matter in His hands. We’ve relied only on our weakness, and not the power of God to defend us.” The council accepted his plan and the church bells begin to ring. The enemy, hearing the sudden peal of the bells, concluded that the Austrian army had arrived during the night to defend the citizens. So before the service ended the enemy broke camp and left, thereby saving the town. The psalmist, and these inhabitants of Feldkirch, learned that the enemy finds our praise to God as a sign that a superior force stands nearby. Satan does not like to hear God’s children adoring their LORD Eternal with all their hearts. Unfortunately for some, the day of thanksgiving occurs only once a year, and that mostly involves stuffing themselves without a mention of gratitude to God. What joy it brings to God’s heart when His children stop and take time to thank Him again and again. So let the bells of joy ring out, and openly declare our appreciation for Him and everything He’s done for us. Not only will it please our Heavenly Father; bring great joy to our hearts, but the devil will have no interest in hanging around.