Power of Praise
On a typical Thursday night usually, the praise team meets to rehearse for the upcoming Sunday. We all walk into rehearsal with that week’s burdens, or joy’s on our shoulders. Just before we begin, I normally say a short prayer asking God to guide our hearts and instruments to a place where we will honor God with our efforts. Now I will be very honest; there have been nights where I feel my personal worries were so heavy on my shoulders I was questioning how I would lead the rest of the team. All who know me know I carry my heart on my sleeve. If something is on my heart, I will share it, good or bad.
Here is the amazing thing which happens when we lay our troubles down to the Lord. He will ease the load!
During our rehearsal time, we will typically run over each song three times sometimes more. And by the end of the rehearsal, each musician will realize when we began playing the songs they were a bit rough. However, by the time we finish, we feel we are giving out best to God. And if it is not our best we will not do the song on Sunday. We are to bring our first fruits to the lord. An amazing transformation happens in the hour and a half or two hours we are rehearsing. If we truly are living what we are singing all the stuff we are bringing to rehearsal has eased up and God has lightened my load.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
If we honestly bring our open hearts to worship and ask for Gods help and sing his praises, those burdens, we entered with become lighter.
In the Bible, in 2 Chronicles chapter 20 Jehoshaphat is going to battle a massive army. Jahaziel, son of Zechariah, stood and told King Jehoshaphat God says “this is not your battle but Gods. Have faith.” Jehoshaphat sent the musicians out in front of the army to sing praise to God.
“Early in the morning, they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God, and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets, and you will be successful.” After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:
“Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.”
As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.”
We are just normal everyday people, but the power of praising God is an unstoppable force. Too many times we are put into situations, and we are telling ourselves we have everything under control. Let’s be real; we are not in control. What we do have is the power to step back and ask God for help, guidance. God has never left you or will forsake you. If we ask for God’s will, we are trusting him no matter what the outcome.
“But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.”
My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me”
Some of my quiet, genuine moments on the platform is early on Sunday morning when no one is in the sanctuary. Just God, me and the piano. For me singing praise to our father is a way of surrendering to his will and laying my heart out.
You do not have to be on a platform to have those moments with God. You just have to make yourself available.
God does not ask us to be biblical scholars; he just wants us to give thanks, spend time with him and come to him with humility.
Mike Conrad serves as our Worship Director. When he's not preparing for worship or playing an instrument, he enjoys spending time with his wife boating and fishing. Learn more about Mike here.
