“They spent all their time in the Temple, praising God.” Luke 24:53
It is my understanding that the Temple in Jerusalem was meant to function as a microcosm of the entire creation. Inside the Temple, the world was ordered and governed, with the worship of God being the central activity within it. The activity of worship is central to holding the world together in harmony, causing it to function properly and fruitfully. As the Psalmist declares, “Everything in the Temple says, ‘glory!’” (Psalm 29:9). The whole world is God’s cosmic Temple, and when the things in it declare the glory of the creator God, it functions properly and produces fruit. This planet needs the glory of God to be proclaimed over it. That is why worship, in the form of earnest singing, is a treasure of immeasurable value - far, far, too underestimated. Singing is a language that speaks on so many different levels, both articulate and inarticulate. Singing changes us and changes the atmosphere in ways truly immeasurable.
I am reminded of an opportunity I had once to sing worship songs while playing my guitar on the streets of the “Tenderloin” of San Francisco (the bad part of town). It struck me very forcefully that that street had NEVER heard songs like that before. It was as if the street itself breathed a sigh of relief to hear the worship of the living, loving, creator God, instead of the cursing, swearing, and fighting that it was well used too. Far too often the Church in America is completely unaware of the power of the weapon that God has granted us: our voices, and the declaration of the worship and truth of God. Singing the worship of God has the potential to take us deep into God’s presence and to change us at equally deep levels. It also has the power to heal God’s world. Let us cut back on performing worship services and worship songs, and let us participate in worship itself. Not the origination of lyrics, melody, and rhythms, but the heart wrenching prayers and praise to God. THAT kind of worship will produce its own music, and it will bring to our mind worship from days gone by as well as a new song that God will give to each generation, and each individual that comes to Him. As Will Reagan declared in a recent song: “Give me a song to sing, and I will sing it to you, God!” The world is God’s Temple and it is in need of restoration. We are the priests appointed for it’s cleansing. Let us begin by singing the praises of the God to whom this Temple belongs. And the earth itself will break forth into singing, only at the mention of God’s name. (Isaiah 55:12). When Jesus, the world’s true Lord and the true image of God, was raised from the dead, the disciples knew instinctively what their response should be. They spent all of their time in the Temple (i.e. planet earth) praising God. This is one of the central passions behind The Gospel for Planet Earth ministry, in harmony with Isaiah’s prophetic vision that “the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:9). Worshiping God in spirit and in truth - on earth as it is in heaven - sets the world (the planet earth) right.
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