Monday, February 23, 2009

Rejoicing In The Lord

Last week, I shared with you how God is showing me how to be more grateful for everything, literally, in my life. I'm also learning how to rejoice more. Now let me start by telling you that I was born and bred Southern Baptist. The only rejoicing we did growing up was when an ice cream supper was announced on a Sunday night! So I'm exaggerating a bit here, but you get my point. I believe rejoicing in the Lord is a form of humility.

In 2 Samuel 6, the Ark of the Covenant was coming into the city of Jerusalem. When King David heard about it, the Bible says he danced before the Lord with everything he had. The scripture says he threw off his royal digs and danced in his under clothes because David loved to be in the presence of God and the presence of God traveled with the Ark. David got excited! It goes on to say that after David danced before the Lord, David fed the whole country. But his wife told him he looked like a fool and despised him in her heart because of David's response to the presence of God. David's wife thought he should've been more dignified. She wanted him to sit down and hush! In verse 22, David tells her "I should be more vile than this. I will humble myself in the sight of the people and I will lower myself in my own sight." James 4:6 says, "God resisteth the proud, but gives grace to the humble." When David was rejoicing in the Lord, it was a form of humility.

Yesterday in church, our choir sang the song "When I Think About The Lord". Here are some of the words:

When I think about the Lord
How He saved me, how He raised me
How He filled me with the Holy Ghost
How He healed me to the uttermost
When I think about the Lord
How He picked me up
Turned me around
How He set my feet on solid ground
It makes me want to shout
Hallelujah! Thank you, Jesus!
Lord, you’re worthy
Of all the glory, and all the honor
And all the praise!
I, for one, can tell you there was some shoutin' going on in that service. People who had never fully grasped what Jesus has done, got it! And they didn't worry if anyone was watching whether they were praising Him.

If you and I are more concerned with what people think about us and our praise than with what God thinks about us, we will never walk in victory.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Barbie,
So true! I am so blessed to be a member of a church were we worship freely like that. We shout, raise our hands, we are free to worship as the Lord leads us. It is so freeing and such a blessing to not feel hindered in my worship, and to see everybody else worshipping touchs my heart. Some folks might think that isn't "appropriate" to take part in those acts of worship, but they are missing such a wonderful moment with the Lord if they feel they should hold back...

Tammi

Heather said...

Praise God! I want to shout right now!!! I love that song and had almost forgotten about it...It seems the Lord is speaking to me in songs this morning...God reminded me of anohter song I had forgotten about when I got to work this morning. Through the Fire by the Crabb Family. I am dealing with a lot of things right now, it feels like Satan has kicked me in the teeth and just keeps walking around on my head and laughing at me. I needed to be reminded to REJOICE IN ALL THINGS! God has saved me, raised me, filled me with the holy ghost!! Anything else he gives us is just "gravy" I really needed to be reminded!! Thanks for your encouragement.

Dana said...

AMEN!!! I love that song. It's good to hear others actually do give him praise in church!

Anonymous said...

Barbie do you know who sings that song?

Barbie Bassett said...

Shane & Shane sing it. I've also heard Rita Springer sing it. You can Google both of them and see the videos.

Anonymous said...

I, too, sing it, Barbie! Loudly and joyfully in my living room at my piano! :) Would love it if we could someday sing it at our church. Tell you what...you come back to see us at Meadville, you lead it and I'll play it. Keep on rejoicing!

Anonymous said...

Barbie I heard you say on Medical Matters tonight that you had lost 42 lbs. You go girl. What kind of protein shakes are you drinking and where can they be bought. I love your blog and love to watch you on TV. God Bless

Barbie Bassett said...

Thanks! You can scroll down to my January 7 blog entry "A Question From a Blog Reader" and it tells you more. It is a liquid diet from Baptist Health Systems.