Today’s 333 Devotional: “Worship Doesn’t Escape Reality”

Worship is not an escape from the realities of life. Rather, it is what we need to do amid life’s realities. This is seen in Isaiah’s vision as he begins with these interesting words.

He said, “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord.” (Isaiah 6:1a)

This is like saying, “In the year the Twin Towers came down, I found Jesus.”

Whenever we come into the presence of the Lord, our worship can never be oblivious to what is happening in our lives or in the world around us. The prophet Jeremiah understood this, in that while desolation was the order of the day, there would again be heard the voice of joy and gladness (Jeremiah 33:11).

Even though we face devastating circumstances in our lives and in this world, when we take time to worship the Lord, we find His peace and joy, because true worship restores souls that have been embittered and beaten up by life.

In Psalm 86:6-7, King David cried out to God saying, “Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, for You will answer me.”

As we gather, we bring our fears, worries, and concerns, and lift them to God who is our ever-present help in times of trouble.

And that is how King David finished this Psalm by saying, “You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.” (Psalm 86:17b)

And so, even though we come into God’s house with hearts of worship, we also come bringing with us the cares and concerns of life; those things that are happening to us and around us, and as we cry out to God, He will help us find God’s comfort and peace. Therefore, when we come to God it isn’t to escape the realities so life, but to ask the Lord to bring us hope in the midst of these life’s realities.