The Sin Journey
A journey of a girl who struggles with sexual sin.
(This is solely for devotional purposes.)
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The manner of worship God demands of us is simple. Sing a new song. Sing the old songs that praise God. Dance with joy. Use His Words to defend Him. Those are all forms of praise to the Maker of the universe. He is calling everyone! King, nobles, commoners, peasants, all are alike when coming before God’s throne. Only He is superior and deserving of praise.
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From the highest places of authority and glory to the lowest and most difficult places to give glory, we are to praise God for what He is, not necessarily what He has done for us. Because God is God and we are not, He deserves our praise and worship, especially because He created us.
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God is God and we are not. That is the only necessary reason for us to praise and worship Him. As humans, we are under His dominion, and there needs no other persuasion for us to worship the Master of the universe. And that worship can come in different forms. Remember, whether we eat or drink, we should do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). So everything we do, can be a form of worship to God.
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If we were to imagine a time of imprisonment so long we could not even remember the all the crimes we commit to deserve prison, how happy would we be when we first step out of those doors and into freedom? I know I would be simply ecstatic and jumping for joy for my freedom. But the psalmist makes a stark point when he asks that his freedom be used for God’s glory. I know I would marvel in myself and what I want to do and where I want to be. But the psalmist simply asks God to make him thankful to His name.
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It is interesting to note that in this psalm, the psalmist is specifically calling the servants of the Lord, not all people which would include His enemies. And thinking about it, the heart intention, the joy and purity of worshipping and praising God must first come out of a humble servant’s heart.
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God’s help is not given out of obligation, but is a conscious choice from God. It is a blessing, because it comes not for our own sake but for God’s. Ultimately, our rescue is to glorify God not our own strength, because we did nothing. We could not rescue ourselves. So God receives the final ovation.
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Gimel
Wandering away from God’s Law is equivalent to sin. Because His Law is the standard of perfect, anything below it is offensive to the righteous God. So taking the time to meditate and develop an “intimacy” of God’s Word is essential to follow after HIm.
Daleth
The fact that we have God’s Word readily available to us is a gracious blessing. We have the privilege to know God’s works, His goodness, His love. And through it, we are given the opportunity to follow Him. This is incredible, because no other god in this world wants what’s best for their servants. Only God, the Master of the universe, wants us to be holy and righteous for our sake.
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Aleph
It is so pertinent that our actions reflect the Law we know. It is so shameful to know the right path, but follow the wrong to destruction. If we don’t follow God’s Law, we’re choosing damnation for ourselves. Knowing God’s Law is a call to follow it.
Beth
In order to worship something, we must know what to worship. We must esteem it higher than ourselves so that we can praise it. If we don’t know God, know His works and blessing and plans, how can we praise Him? We can’t. Reading the Bible also a form of worship, because we’re getting to know God and Jesus Christ.
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As short as this psalm is, its instructions for worship to God cannot be deemed “simple.” The psalmist calls for everyone to praise the Lord publicly. Not quietly on Sunday mornings only, not just in the car, but publicly! If anything, God deserves it, for even His small amount of faithfulness is so great for us.
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Part 2
Just considering even more the splendors of creation God blessed us with is unfathomable. Everything in this world is made for a reason. The mountains, the rivers, the caves, they are all made whether or not for human use. All of creation is not the same. Humans are distinct from animals in that they are workers of His creation.
