Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: Nehemiah 12 and Psalm 24

This was a serious celebration. Two great choirs walked atop the City walls, encircled the City of Jerusalem with their songs of praise and thanksgiving, and then met in the Temple to offer great sacrifices of praise to God in music and song, “rejoicing because God had given them great joy” (v.43). The sound of their rejoicing was heard far away. Like the sound of a great street party echoing across the valley to the neighbouring suburb, the people of God rocked the neighbourhood with their praises! But what struck everyone who heard it was less the noise and more the joy of it all.

Their worship was a witness to others. In their case it was a witness to the joy of the Lord that saturated their lives. The question we should probably ask ourselves is, “When others overhear me worshipping, what do they believe I am feeling towards God? What do others conclude about God because of my worship?” That’s a question worth pondering. People should be able to come to the conclusion that the God we worship is awesome and glorious, and that His presence in our lives is a source of enormous joy to us.

Whatever answer we give to the above question can serve as a great encouragement for us to engage ourselves even more honestly and more fervently in the sort of worship that will glorify God in the eyes of others and help them to see how wonderful it is to have the LORD in our lives.

Holy Spirit, inspire me to worship the LORD with great love and joy. Amen.