July 16, 2005

The Real Love Story (2)

Psalm 100

Worship the Lord with gladness . . . . Psalm 100:2

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Do you remember last Sunday's reading about love and the kissing couple? (You may want to reread it.)

 

Let's say the young woman tells her sweetheart, "You make me so happy! I can't imagine anything I would love more than to spend the rest of my life with you!" Would the young man then say, "You're so selfish! All you ever think about is what makes you happy!"? Of course not! When told that he makes her happy and that she loves him so much, he feels honored!

 

When you worship ("kiss toward") God because you want to, because it gives you heartfelt joy to do so, because you love singing to God and about him, God is glorified! When you tell God how happy he makes you, that you are so thrilled to be able to spend eternity with him, God is honored that he is your chief delight!

 

That's the kind of worship Jonathan Edwards writes about: "It is plain from Scriptures that it is the tendency of true grace to delight in such religious exercises: time spent on reading, praying, singing, hearing sermons, and so on. Indeed, grace makes the saints delight in singing praises to God. Grace also causes them to delight in hearing the Word of God preached. The gospel is a joyful sound to them. It makes them love the public worship of God." In this joy in God, God is glorified!

"Fill thou my life, O Lord my God, in every part with praise, that my whole being may proclaim thy being and thy ways." In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

About the author — Charles Geschiere

Rev. Charles Geschiere has been a pastor in the Christian Reformed Church for over 30 years. During that time, he has served churches in Illinois, Virginia, and Michigan. Currently, he is ministering to Vienna Presbyterian Church, where he has served since 2012.

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