The Gift of Worship

It was dark when I got out of bed and sought refuge on the porch.The day before I had gone to Vanderbilt where they explained the twelve hour brain surgery I was facing and the possible repercussions. This information was hard to process and it made it difficult for me to sleep.

 The night sky was black but the blackness of the sky was simply a backdrop for the brightness of the stars. As I sat on the porch gazing into the heavens I released my spirit from the dungeon of darkness and let it soar as I listened to the declaration of God's glory proclaimed in the night sky. The brightness of the stars breathed peace into my troubled heart.

The stars in the heavens are firmly fixed in their place; they are steadfast and immovable. They show the handiwork of their Creator. Sitting on my porch cloaked in the heaviness of the information I had received I needed to hear their message. Starring into the grandeur of  the scene before me I heard the God of all creation whisper to my listening heart,"Steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord." It was an invitation to trust. It was an invitation to worship.

As the darkness of the sky was illuminated by the celestial light of the stars, the darkness of my heart was illuminated by worship. Worship became a portal through which I encountered God clothed with majesty and splendor. In the quiet of the dark I saw Him wrapped in light as if it were a robe, spreading out the sky like a canopy, and inviting me to find rest for my soul in His faithful love.

I had been awaken in the night with a deep since of vulnerability but as I opened my heart to hear the message of the heavens I found peace. My heart began to sing an ancient song of praise. "Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness reaches to the sky. How precious is your steadfast love, O my God! In the darkness of the night you invite me to find refuge in the shadow of your wings. When my heart is heavy you invite me to feast and to drink from the river of your delight. For with you is the fountain of life; and in the darkest night I am able see light in your light." Truly, this is the gift of worship!