Thanksgiving
is the Heart of Worship
“Hear,
O kings! Give ear, O princes! I, even I, will sing to the Lord; I will sing
praise to the Lord God of Israel.” (Judges 5:3 NKJ)
Who can deny that singing is a vital part of
worship? Many of the songs recorded in the Old Testament were sung as a means
of celebration. The song of Miriam celebrated the crossing of the Red Sea, and
the song of Deborah and Barak celebrated the victory over the Midianites. The
songs sung by David and others in the Psalms centered on praise and victory
over enemies.
Worship
is a time to praise and thank God for his victories over our struggles in life.
Everyone faces battles. These conflicts or skirmishes with the forces of evil
can sap our energies unless we remain in a constant state of worship. All of us
face some kind of daily struggle whether it be: a battle against cancer, a
battle to save a marriage relationship, an effort to hold on to a job, a
struggle against depression, how to discipline a wayward child, or ability to
meet financial obligations. Everyone has battles!
James
wrote: “Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be
an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a
chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you
will be strong in character and ready for anything” (Jas. 1:2-4 NLT).
When
victory was handed to Israel, Deborah responded with worship. She and Barak
lifted up their voices in praise and thankfulness to God for his faithfulness
in battle. As you read her song, you will notice that Deborah does what all of
us should do when claiming victory over the battle we face—namely, focusing upon
the source of our victory and recounting the wondrous works of God. This kind
of worship honors God, and at the same time boosts our faith to face the next
battle.
When we
take our battles to the Lord and see his amazing hand guiding and carrying us
through each struggle, how can we not worship him with songs of praise and
thanksgiving?
What
victory has God given you? Shout thanks to him! How has God blessed you? Offer
up a song praise to him.
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