September 12
Bible Reading: Acts 16:25-40
Acts 16:25, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.”
The worship service was anything but conventional. From a human perspective, it offered little to inspire or encourage praise and gratitude toward God. The Sanctuary was stark and unadorned, bordering on the severe. There were no song leaders, musical instruments, or hymnals. Instead, only two worshipers were present, adorned not in their Sunday best, but with cuts and bruises. Despite being imprisoned in a Philippian jail with their feet secured in stocks, these two individuals, Paul and Silas, were found “praying and singing hymns to God.” A massive earthquake that not only ended their service but also the prison itself abruptly interrupted their worship.
Worship is acknowledging God for who He is and what He does in what we say and what we do. Acceptable worship, as Jesus taught, must be in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24). God is seeking worshipers who will worship Him in this manner (John 4:23). He has redeemed us for this noble purpose, cleansing us of our sins through Jesus and transforming us into true worshipers (Titus 3:3-7; 1 Peter 2:9).
It is only those who’ve born again who can worship God in an acceptable manner, and then only as they are led by the Spirit and by truth (Ephesians 5:18; Philippians 3:3). Despite being confined in a prison cell, Paul and Silas, filled with the Spirit, freely prayed and sang praises to God. When a person is filled with the Spirit and the Word (Colossians 3:16-17), worship naturally follows.
While having beautiful facilities, skilled song leaders, and meaningful hymns is a blessing, they are no substitute for the transformative work of the Spirit in our hearts. Paul and Silas worshiped God from their prison cell as the Spirit directed their hearts toward Jesus. This same opportunity is available to all of us. Worship is not confined to Sundays or church services; it can occur anywhere, at any time, under any circumstance (1 Corinthians 10:31). Are you filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)? Does the Word richly dwell within you (Colossians 3:16)? Then you possess all that is necessary to worship God even now!
As Paul and Silas worshiped from their jail cell, “the prisoners were listening to them!” In these challenging times, many are searching for direction. People are observing us. Do they see us worshiping God? If we are Spirit-led and deeply rooted in truth, they will. And by doing so, we will glorify God and maintain a credible testimony before others.
Worship is not confined to Sundays or church services; it can occur anywhere, at any time, under any circumstance!
COME, THOU FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING
Come, thou Fount of every blessing;
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above;
praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
mount of God’s unchanging love!
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I’m come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.
O to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let that grace now, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here’s my heart; O take and seal it;
seal it for thy courts above.
LookingtoJesus 