Psalm 134 - Appreciation

Psalm 134:1-3 NIV

Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord

 who minister by night in the house of the Lord. 

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord. 

May the Lord bless you from Zion,

 he who is the Maker of heaven and earth.

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Every church offers worship services. Call a church and their voicemail system will offer you their service times. Few if any will tell you that services occur around the clock, but that is what happened at the temple in Jerusalem. God was served continually by the priests and Levites, according to the Law of Moses.

Somehow our understanding of worship shifted from a service given to honor God, to a service offered to meet the spiritual needs and appetites of the community. The so-called worship wars between traditional and contemporary styles are an example of our self-focused understanding of a worship service.

From a practical standpoint how we got to this place is pretty apparent. Worship attendance in America peaked in the 1970's at 70% of the people worshiping. Then worship numbers began to fall, plummeting to today's 30% or less of the people worshiping with religious institutions. Churches began to try new things to attract more worshipers. The focus shifted from serving God to trying to reach a populace that no longer heeds the voice of the church.

It makes me wonder what church attendance would be like if we kept our focus on God and sought His help. What if we served Him around the clock with prayers and praise? Would revival come once again to America?

Psalm 134 is a prayer for those dedicated to the service of the Lord, for priests and Levites. They had a system of rotating duties. When it was your turn you took the night shift at the temple.

Samuel, when he was a child, was working the night shift. He slept in the holy place assuring that the candles remained burning and the incense continued rising to the Lord. He was not a priest. His mother dedicated him to the Lord's service. He became a mighty prophet in Israel. There in the holy place he heard the voice of the Lord for the first time.

October is called pastor appreciation month. Pray for those who labor for the Lord's honor and glory. Pray for those who listen for the Lord's guidance. Pray for those who assist in leading worship. Pray for those leaders who attend to administration. Pray for ministry leaders and their teams. Pray to God with thanksgiving for them. Encourage them. Let your words lift them to what they do for your God. Let your prayers become a powerful resource to those who minister before the Lord. Keep worship about serving God and not about your preferences. Pray the Lord's blessings on His servants and upon His church. Perhaps, as His light shines upon the people, others will come to the light they see in you.