And all His people said Amen.

I've been feeling for some time like it had been too long since I had last posted something to this blog and was starting to feel guilty about being so neglectful. Often times, my really deep quiet times lead my mind to ponder what the Lord is doing and I write a blog post with my musings. But as I have read His word, I haven't had some new revelation or great experience of gaining insight or wisdom. Instead, there has been a cry of my heart praising His faithfulness and provision and all I can say to the Word is, Amen.

In this time of just living day to day, without concern of the future, free from the anxiety and stress which plagued my thoughts for so long, I find myself reading His word with great comfort and contentment. Yes, He is the same, yesterday, today and forever.

I don't know the future, but my God holds it in His hand.
I don't have it all together, but my God is in control.
I can't fix all the areas of brokenness and pain around me, but my God will bring beauty from ashes.
I am not walking His path for me perfectly, but my God is faithful and will not let go of my hand.

After years of walking in the desert, I can say that I am truly experiencing His peace and joy in a way I wasn't sure still existed. When David brought the ark back into Jerusalem, he offered a prayer of thanksgiving which says "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; He also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the people are idols, but the Lord made the heavens." (1 Chronicles 16:25-26) It ends, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Then all the people said "Amen." and praise the Lord." (vs 36) This refrain is echoed in Psalm 106:48, when the Psalmist recounts the faithfulness of God towards Israel, despite their sin and wandering hearts.

There is a type of worship that comes from thanksgiving that is unlike any other. While there is a time to offer sacrificial praise and God is close to the brokenhearted, there is a joy in worship found when you can approach Him unfettered by the worries of this world. And it doesn't mean that there aren't worries in this world - but rather the worries of this world pale in comparison to the faithfulness of our Lord, that we can worship unencumbered by the trials of life. It is in this place that the only word left to say is Amen.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego have a moment like this right before they are throne into the fire for failing to bow down to the golden image King Nebuchadnezzar makes. They say to the king, "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up." (Daniel 3:17-18) They speak to God's faithfulness, power, salvation, supremacy and sovereignty as an act of worship while facing their death. And they see the rest of the world as being full of idols made by the hands of men, paling to the power of their God.

It struck me anew as I review the gospel accounts of passion week that the chief priests tell Pilot, "we have no king but Caesar" (John 19:15). In front of the King of kings and Lord of lords, the chief priests and teachers of the law hold up a foreign ruler as their king. Much like the days of Samuel, when God tells him "Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt, even to this day - in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods - so they are doing to you also. (1 Sam 8:7-8)

Our idolatry may be golden images, people we have placed higher than the Lord, our own status, power, control or many other ways of choosing to reject God. It was the same in the garden when Adam and Eve chose their will over the Lord. We so quickly follow our own will and desires - and yet, when we truly meditate on the blessings He has given us, the faithfulness He has shown towards us and the vastness of His love, we can identify our idols and worship the true King instead. As we make Him greater, we (and everything else in our lives) becomes less.

My prayers are not about change, supplication for my list of needs or even musings of what I think He is doing. It is simply receiving His word as the ultimate truth - His gift to us and the testimony of who He is and what He has done. In light of this, I simply say, Amen.