Devotion
A joyful noise
David Jacobs
Do you enjoy going to church? Ask yourself this question. At every church that I have been to, it seems a large amount of the people there have no interest in being there. They are either forced by their spouse or parents and are just there because it is a part of their culture. When the scriptures are read or the sermon begins, it may turn into naptime for some people. How have we allowed a weekly worship to turn into this? Is this what it was originally meant to be?
We can think about prayer and worship in many ways, and there are certainly many congregations that are finding new ways to approach it and bring in new devotees of Christ. It may rustle the feathers of some of the older generations, but as long as the overall meaning is similar, there is no harm in trying to be innovative and continue to pay respect to God.
Prayer
However, as these verses suggest, church is not the only place that we are meant to sing God's praises. Anywhere and everywhere we go we should sing God's praises. I also like to use the idea of a song as a metaphor for my life: everything that I do, every positive and negative action, every up and down, is a different note on my worship song to God. I share my song with all that encounter me, and hopefully, they share theirs with me. Whatever your gift may be, it is our duty, as these verses suggest, to share what we can in a joyful noise unto all the earth. Make a loud noise, rejoice! God is great! Amen.
Night Prayer
O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
Inspiration
We bow before God spiritually and physically to show reverence and respect; He is all-powerful, all-present, and all-knowing! He has the power to create heaven, earth, and our intricate bodies. He is present in every moment, through every struggle, and is always available when we call. He knows our past, present, and future; protects our spirits at all costs. We worship God because we respect Him; we choose to serve and love Him unconditionally.
Prayer
Dear God, You are all-powerful, all-present, and all-knowing. We respect You and welcome Your presence daily. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Morning Prayer
Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
Inspiration
God provided food for the Israelites as they wandered the desert for forty years by raining manna from the sky. They needed Him, and He blessed them accordingly. We desperately need the Lord as we wander through this earthly life. Our Creator designed us to love Him, and we are restless without Him. He is our peace and happiness, our hope in a hopeless world. He is always ready to accept the invitation into our hearts and loves us unconditionally.
Prayer
Dear God, When we seek You, You are there. You are faithful, and we are thankful for Your steadfast love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Night Prayer
Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.
Inspiration
We worship God to declare our love and display thankfulness for His faithfulness. Blessings are God's gifts to us. We do not worry about tomorrow because we know God will provide for us. He loves us so much; He gave His only son to die on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins so we may receive salvation and reunite with our Creator for eternity. We are thankful for His selfless gift of salvation and will lift our hands to the heavens singing praises to our God all the days of our life.
Prayer
Dear God, we adore You! We lift our voices to sing praises to Your name because we love You and appreciate Your faithfulness. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
