Let All That I Am

Worship is both our response to God — to our experience and knowledge of the goodness of God, and an open door to communion with God. As Charles Wesley, one of the founders of the Methodist Movement, says in his beautiful hymn, “O For a Thousand Tongues to sing my great Redeemer's praise, the glories of my God and King, the triumphs of his grace!” What Charles knew, those who have known the goodness of God in Jesus Christ know still today: his longing to praise the Lord exceeds his ability. We simply do not have the capacity to praise God to the extent which He is worthy and to the extent we long to. We ask for His help, His grace, even as we praise Him.

And so, we draw near to God in worship, trusting His Word where He tells us, if we draw near to Him, He draws near to us (James 4:8). We draw near to God, knowing the more deeply we worship Him now, the more we have a foretaste of the glory to come.

So, our focus over the next few weeks, as we continue our reading in the Psalms, is on seeking a heart of worship. Psalm 103:1 says, “Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.” That’s the heart we want toward the Lord - a longing to praise Him with our whole being.