Bless the Lord
I stood in front of the clothing store mirror holding a purple blouse and a baby blue blouse. I just couldn’t make up my mind.
“Purple….blue…purple….blue,” I kept repeating as I swirled the tops back and forth in front of me trying to decide. “Hmmm…What do you think?”
“I like the blue one,” a strange voice startled me. I turned my head in the direction of the voice. “You asked me what I think. I like the baby blue one.”
I’d done it again! I was talking out loud to myself in public.
“Oh thanks, but I was asking the girls inside. They’ll be wearing it, too. We all must be in agreement, you know.” The lady, along with her preteen daughter, just smiled a fake half smile and backed away. They didn’t give me a chance to come back with my punch line…. “I always shop with me, myself and I!”
And THAT is why I love King David! In the first verse of the beautiful Psalm 103 we find him, of all things, talking to himself! That’s right, look at it again, “Bless the Lord, oh MY soul, and all that is within ME…” He made blessing the Lord something completely personal. It wasn’t his pastor, or the congregational singing, or listening to the choir that blessed him, it was his time of blessing the Lord on a personal, intimate level.
Often when I’m having my quiet time, I’ll read, sing and pray aloud. It’s like having an intimate conversation with my Lord. There are times for quiet, there are times for silence, and there are times for my loudest praise, joyously blessing the Lord.
David’s also passionate about blessing the Lord. “…and all that is within me…” somehow doesn’t conjure up visions of a weak, nonchalant voice. There’s PASSION in his voice, “BLESS the LORD, OH…MY…SOUL, and ALL that is WITHIN ME…” Every fiber of his being, his thought, his intellect, his mind, emotions, will, body, you name it, ALL of it is blessing the Lord.
Singing is a passion of mine. There used to be a time when I would stand to sing publically stiff as a board and I’d be nervous as a turtle trying to cross a busy highway. And corporate singing, I WANTED to lift my hands, but, no one else was doing it, so I’d better not.
Then two professional singers gave me some critique. They said I was allowing the fear of what others are thinking of me control my singing rather than my singing being done as unto the Lord.
Upon confessing to the Lord my wrong attitude and behavior, I was now free to use gestures, raise my hands, close my eyes if I wanted to, move around. Suddenly, there was passion in my voice when I sang because I was allowing what was within me to come out and bless Him.
What about you? Are you passionate in how you worship the Lord? Does He know by your voice and body language that you are passionately in love with him? Are you blessing Him on a personal, intimate level?
Oh Father, I raise my voice and raise my hands before You! O Lord, I bless You with my soul and with ALL that is within me! I bless Your holy name!
Your Humbly Grateful Daughter,
http://marshahmusings.blogspot.com
Not only do I move around in worship, but also when driving (at the stop-light — plenty of opportunities on my commute to work :)) I often raise my hand; or my foot is tapping 🙂
BTW – I often talk to myself when shopping 🙂
Let us all be passionate about our worship and express our love to the Lord more openly.
Wow Marsha – that is awesome. Yes I worship pretty much everywhere. In the car, while cooking, while taking a shower. His name is on my mind and on my lips often throughout my day. I loved the illustration of talking your blouse choice out loud in the store. I too do that. Oh my! -Blessings, Laurie
I love to worship the Lord, with praise dancing, singing, and just praising His name.
i admit i am a bit more reserved in public, but at home and in my car, i cut loose!
I don’t know why we seem to be more reserved in public… but I have learned to raise my hand ans sway to the music as the spirit leads… At home… I let it all out!!! lol… Great post sis!
Marsha, this made me smile. Too bad you didn’t get a chance to say your punch line:) I worship Him every opportunity I get but at home and in the car I turn up the music and have a great time with “me, myself & I” and the Holy Spirit of course.:)
Praise God for everything He has done to all of us. He is great and mighty.