The Push and Pull of Worship

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!” “I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.” “Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” Psalm 95:6; 145:1-3; 150:1-2,6; Revelation 4:11

I watched silver fish jump this morning, their flat sides glistening along high and wide arcs in the early sun. One was so high I thought it had dropped from above. The merriment was a lovely combination of the happy exertion of these limbless creatures high into their ‘other world,’ and the pull of a mighty, powerful Creator Who, by His very worthiness, draws His creatures to worship.

Our strong and gracious God is a fire, drawing us to His light; His love is a magnet, pulling us to press close. When we, swimming in our normal and humdrum routines, recognize His magnificence, His transcendence on the outskirts of everyday living, holy desire compels us to rise up, to jump out of our world to exalt Him. His Spirit awakens yearning to absorb His light, taste His goodness, and relish His favor. His very greatness is a pull on us to worship, and our innate longing to know and understand Him, because eternity has been planted in our hearts, responds in supernatural expression of exultation in the divine. (Psalm 34:8; Ecclesiastes 3:11)

O soul, do you feel His pull? Can and will you rise? Are you stuck fast in drudgery with cataract eyes and over-stuffed senses, or will you exert your will to lift high God’s name and glory?

Though in our day-to-day we do not see the physical Jesus, we know Him by faith, and believe He is present. We see His hand working His designs in relationships, infirmities, changes of heart. When we love Him, His constant abiding fills us with inexpressible joy that cannot be contained, and it spills out in praise. While our troubles may pull us down and threaten to drown, the Sovereign’s lift is stronger; we experience His victory when we push through the surface of our circumstances, our pain, to worship. Our act of the will connects with the Almighty in incomparable union and gladness and expression of His glory. (Psalm 16:11; 1 Peter 1:8)

“My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being!” Psalm 108:1

Resplendent King, You have made me to know You and Your mighty works. May I ever rise to praise You, leaving behind all that pulls and pollutes to exult in Your presence. May the joy of my salvation be contagious. (Psalm 139:14)