He Still Walks on WaterÖrnek

Oh Come, Let Us Adore Him!
God and God alone is worthy to be lifted on high and exalted. Worship is the one thing we can do when surrounded by the onslaught of a storm. The ups and downs of life have the potential to rapidly shift our attention from the Lord to our circumstances. But worship can turn our gaze from the storm to the Savior.

Praise and worship will change our focus. That may sound like a platitude or cliché, but I assure you that it is not. Maintaining a steady vision of the One who created the world and everything (and everyone) in it will help prevent us from sinking into doom and gloom when adversity strikes.

We don’t always feel like praising God in the middle of the storm, especially when we are struggling to keep our heads above water and breathe. When it feels like we are drowning, though, we can do more than survive. A storm can be a place of intimate worship. Our cry for help during a storm can become a declaration of faith to see us through the darkness. Worship helps to keep us laser-focused on the Savior.

It is vital to cling to the practice of worship because our storms can steal it away. The enemy will attempt to use the turbulence of life to shift our focus and get our eyes to drift from Jesus to our circumstances. But worship is not based on our circumstances, good or bad. Our praise isn’t reserved for clear skies and sunny days. We rejoice in every situation. In the good times, we are to praise the Lord. In the bad times, we are to praise the Lord. In everything, give Him praise!

This is what Paul admonished the church in Thessalonica to do--to “give thanks” in every situation: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, NIV).

How is it possible to be thankful in every situation, regardless of how difficult or traumatic the circumstances? Paul answers the question with a two-fold solution. First, “Rejoice always.” Put on the garment of praise for a spirit of heaviness. We walk through our storms with thanks because we walk through them with a heart of worship.

His second key to an attitude of consistent gratitude in the storm is a call to be in continual prayer: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. — Philippians 4:6–7 (NKJV)

Prayer is the key to unlocking the door of peace. In the center of a whirlwind, the peace that surpasses all understanding will only come through Jesus. David knew these truths well. See what he wrote in Psalm 34:1–7.

When we worship, we focus on who God is. He is our holy, loving, faithful, forgiving, caring, healing, helping heavenly Father. Praise isn’t about how we feel. There are times when we don’t feel like praising. But we are to praise despite what we see or feel. Praise is all about the character of God and the fact that He is worthy of praise. God’s character never changes, so our circumstances don’t change His character.