Family hang-out at the Ivey's. Sawyer loved their puppy Landry!
This week has been the busiest by far. I am not leading worship this Sunday, because I will be helping officiate my sister Johanna's wedding! I have been soaking up so much from my time as a resident at the Austin Stone it's difficult to condense it down to a blog post. On Tuesday I was inspired by a short sermon by John Dansby at the Austin Stone staff meeting. He explained how our praise, worship and adoration completes our joy in Christ. I've heard this concept before, but the way the concept was articulated really hit home. Worship and the proclamation of the gospel should be a natural response when we discover and encounter the magnitude of who Jesus is. No wonder there is an entire book of the Bible (Psalms) devoted to praising God!
"Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord." Psalm 33:1-5
John Dansby referenced Reflections On The Psalms by C. S. Lewis, during his short sermon. The insight of C. S. Lewis helped me grasp the concept of worship:
“I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed. It is frustrating to have discovered a new author and not to be able to tell anyone how good he is; to come suddenly, at the turn of the road, upon some mountain valley of unexpected grandeur and then to have to keep silent because the people with you care for it no more than for a tin can in the ditch; to hear a good joke and find no one to share it with.” - C. S. Lewis
It really would be crazy to have just discovered that someone gave their life so that you could live and then not be able to tell anyone at all! Sharing the gospel is a natural reaction to God's goodness. For more on this topic, I encourage you to check out Sam Storms's article at Desiring God. The understanding of why we worship transforms our perspective and ability to worship God in spirt and in truth. We praise God not because He needs us to, but because we are gripped by the gravity of His love!
Wedding preparations this week! Jahnabell, Dusty and Sawyer may steal the show!
Family-Style Meal with the Austin Stone Worship crew!