Psalm 76, Psalm 82, Psalm 84, Psalm 90, Psalm 92, Psalm 112, Psalm 115
Ryan: Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote, “‘Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” Gimli (Lord of the Rings) said, “I have looked last upon that which is fairest. Henceforth I will call nothing fair unless it be her gift to me.” And the Sons of Korah write in Psalm 84, “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.” The running theme here is that when you encounter the epitome of something, all else is pale in comparison. We can get a glimpse of what it’s like to spend one day in the court of the LORD our God by reading the awesome book of Revelation, as John was given only the images he needed relate to the churches to whom the letter is addressed. And as for an application for our daily lives, for you Christians who have felt and witnessed the power, glory, and majesty of God, how can you ever give that up for the fleeting things of this world that “though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered” (Psalm 90:6)?
Samantha: One of my favorite ways to worship God is to sing to him when I’m by myself. Sure, singing a capella in a congregation of 700 is amazing, but I have to admit that when I sing in church I’m not really worshiping. Likewise, when I sing a solo or sing with a group, my training as an instrumentalist kicks in and I only think about the music and performing. The only way I can truly worship God in song is when I’ve let go of the sheet music, the rhythms, performance anxiety, and the people around me. It is then that I can let my true emotions out, which is normally hard for me to do! The car is a great place to sing, although one time I must have been a little loud, judging by the strange looks a pedestrian gave me. There have been many times where something great happened that day and I sang praise all the way home. There was a time I was in so much pain that I sang-shouted at God all the way home. “I sing for joy at the works of your hands” (Psalm 92). When I can spot God in everyday life, I’m filled with praise, awe, and joy at what our God has done, and it makes my heart want to sing! (Can you spot the songs I’ve referenced in this post?)
