Outnumbered

II Chronicles 20:21
And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying, "Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever."

You call that a battle plan?
Put the choir in front of the army?
Odds are not to good if your in the tenor section. But this was the word that came down from the King.  Never mind that they were told to "Stand still because the battle isn't yours...it is the LORD's."  But to move the singers and musicians up beyond the front lines to engage the enemy......somebody has surely made a mistake here.
But they hadn't.

Like the picture above, I feel like that lonely chess pawn from time to time. Out numbered, out gunned and out manned. The problems stack up like the opposing pieces on a chess board and I haven't a clue as to a solution. All of them against me, the lonely pawn. What if our greatest weapon was worship? What if there truly was something about praising God and declaring His goodness when our troubles seem insurmountable? I think maybe this is a truth that we haven't considered.

We tend to relegate worship to a time slot on Sunday's and sometimes Wednesday's. Three songs....first, second and last verse. I think maybe it is time we unleashed worship. I think maybe it is time we open our hearts and give ourselves completely to God. That even as you are reading this post, you would consider today to look at your complete life...every thing you do....everything you say.........everything you think.........as being worship unto God. O.k.....even as  I wrote that, I'm reminded of some thoughts I had toward others that weren't very godly. I need to confess and repent of them. 

Like the story of Jehoshaphat in II Chronicles 20, we learn that there is power in music when it is directed to God. More than that, there is power in music when our hearts are turned to God.
The enemy tends to leave my mind and heart along when I worship. All my problems seem to melt away and are replaced with the tenderness and mercy of God. I may be standing in the same space and time when I entered into worship, but something happened to the room as we began. The room became peaceful. My thoughts became settled and not running around in my brain. My heart was not divided and dealing with a million issues. I only had one thing on my mind and in my heart.........the awesomeness of God. Never discount the power of worship. Never discount our need to engage in worship. We were created to live this way. To me it is one of the greatest gifts ever given to man by God; the ability to transcend time and space and lay hold of the infinite with our heart felt words of praise and adoration. Scripture says that God comes down and inhabits the praises of His people. One particular commentary translates that same verse as saying "God comes down and puts on, like a coat, the praises of His people." 
That is my desire every day....making coats for God.
So go find your favorite worship CD or song.
Put it on and lay down the things and problems that are facing you, and just bask in the presence of God.
You might be surprised what happens.

God on you....
mb