Worship Changes EverythingSample

Expect Him

David rose early to seek God, to place his life before Him. Early in the morning, when hope is at its loudest, when newness is represented across the universe, David prayed.
Jonah waited until he was in the belly of the whale to finally cry out to God for salvation. Don’t wait until the middle or the end of a harsh season to inquire of God. Pray as David prayed: My soul thirsts, my flesh longs for you . . . even though all I see are dead branches and dry places, where everything in and around me feels like it’s taking its last breath. There is no water, but I’m looking at you, God, for your love is better than life!
For David, everything in nature looked bleak, but a great statement of faith came from within him as his spiritual hunger and thirst were satisfied, as he worshiped God: “So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open, drinking in your strength and glory” (Psalm 63:2 The Message). He worshiped, expecting God’s presence. He lifted his hands as an expression of adoration, reverence, and surrender. He lifted his hands as an outward sign of his faith: “Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise You! I will praise You as long as I live, lifting up my hands to You in prayer” (vs. 3-4). Lifting up hands is the oldest gesture of prayer. We surrender ourselves. We step out in faith and stir up our souls (mind, will, and emotions).
When life's harshness invades your soul, it can feel very difficult to pull yourself out of the darkness. But this is where God’s Spirit, already alive within us, is activated by our faith. Our spirits are rekindled by being bold in our declarations of faith, by being obedient to Scriptures. Lift up your head, lift up your hands, and worship Him. This is why David could say, “Your love is better than life,” even when the world around him looked dim. Worship changes everything - even a desert wilderness becomes a place of sweet fellowship with God.
David’s confession stirred his faith as he meditated on God’s faithfulness rather than his situation. He said, “I will rejoice in the shadow of your wing, and my soul follows close behind You.”
What do you do when your soul aches and you can’t sleep or you have wakeful moments of anxiety in the night? David said that he worshiped and praised God. “I remember You upon my bed and meditate on You in the night watches” (Psalm 63:6 Amplified). As he poured out his heart in worship day and night to God, David discovered strength. His faith rose.
In the wilderness, go to the Word, meditate on the Word, and speak the Word in worship. Your hunger and thirst, your expectation that God will draw near, will be satisfied.