by Pastor Rich Carlson

I need to remind myself, on a regular basis, that God is God, and that I am given an amazing opportunity to be wowed by Him (and not by me!). I was out watering my yard last night, realizing just how long it takes to get the ground saturated. I thought, "God is so much more efficient! If it would rain, He could accomplish in two minutes what it takes me two days to accomplish!" That was "worship" on Tuesday night for me! Acknowledging God and His "godness" seems to accomplish two things for me: (1) It keeps Him in His rightful place in my life; (2) It gives me another way to honor Him and recognize Him for who He is. And that, for me, is worship.

I like to go to the church sanctuary, but if I go to be entertained or to observe how the worship service is being led, then I am short changing myself in worship. Whatever happens up front—and even more important, whatever happens inside me—needs to accomplish those two things or I have not experienced worship. Psalm 29 reminds me of this today. Worship is "ascribing to God the glory due His name." The next verse says, "Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness." I give God the glory He deserves in the splendor of His holiness! For me that’s worship. David describes just God's voice in this chapter, and that is enough for him to worship in just one word: "Glory!" (verse 9). He says the voice of the Lord:

• is over all the waters
• is powerful
• is majestic
• breaks the cedars
• strikes with flashes of lightning
• shakes the desert
• twists the oaks and strips the forest bare.

(Psalm 29:3-9)

It sounds like David was in a good thunderstorm! I'd settle for a good shower for my yard! But whatever it took, David saw God, and he was wowed by His power, His strength, His glory, and His holiness. All he could say was, "Glory!" And God responded with two gifts for David, recorded in the last verse of Psalm 29: (1) strength, (2) peace. Wow, what a God! He's got it all, and when I acknowledge that, I get strength for the day and peace through the storm. Worship brings me back to my Creator, puts life back into perspective with Him, and results in a renewed confidence and commitment to Him.

Don't miss church this weekend, but go ahead and “worship” today! I turned the sprinkler on again this morning before I sat down to write. It needs to run a long time to get a good soaking. But God could do it in a minute. I wonder what there is in my life that He could do so much more efficiently if I would let Him.

Rich Carlson is the campus chaplain at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. God is Faithful is adapted from the daily email devotionals Rich writes for the Union College family.