Hallelujah!

We’re continuing our study of the building blocks. Have you completed your Soul Care Plan for 2017?  .Soul Care Plan Link Today’s topic is building block “W”, for Worship. 

Today’s scripture: Revelation 19:5-8, 22:3-5 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?

My thoughts (Melody Merida):

I remember the first time I heard a group of people shouting hallelujah! in a worship service. I was 15 years old, a sophomore in high school, and I had just returned from a week-long summer Bible camp with the youth group in my church. Camp was always a wonderful experience with a focus on renewing one’s faith. It was spiritually intense and full of amazing worship experiences. Just like every year before, we came back from camp with a spiritual fire about us. We were ready to change the world for Jesus!

The day after we returned, we were asked to stand in front of our church and speak about our camp experiences. At that time my family attended a church of 300 whose building was meant to house 2,000; there were lots of empty seats. I remember my 17 year old brother being the last one to take the microphone and speak to the congregation that day. He spoke of his experience at camp and how it had galvanized him to deliver a message of revival to our church. With each passing moment he grew more animated as he pointed out the empty seats in our sanctuary and spoke about the person who was supposed to fill it but didn’t because we had not invited them. He challenged the congregation to be the messengers of Jesus so that no one in our community would be left without the hope of God. There was pacing of the stage, shouting, crying, impassioned pleading; and beginning that very day, it changed our church. One by one, people in the pews began to shout “Amen!” and “Yes!” while jumping to their feet and flooding the aisles to pray at the altar.

But the thing I remember most happened at the end of the service. Our pastor took the microphone back and with tears streaming down his cheeks began to say over and over until we all joined in: “Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” We knew that the Spirit speaking through my brother was reviving our church that very day and we couldn’t contain our joy. It was worship like I had never before experienced!

Our Scripture reading contains one of only four “Hallelujahs” in the whole New Testament, with the other three elsewhere in Revelation 19. The word means “Praise the Lord!” and is used as an expression of joyous praise. The worship service we read about in Revelation 19 bears a striking resemblance to the noisy, raucous, lively worship I experienced at 15. We serve an awesome God who needs to hear an occasional hallelujah! from us.

Sometimes quiet, reverent worship is in order and sometimes noisy, enthusiastic, joyful worship is in order. When the time seems right, let the hallelujahs flow!

Thought for the day: Has God done some pretty incredible things for you? Let God know your joy and shout Hallelujah!

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.