Let’s put what I’m about to say in the category of ‘news you won’t hear on the news.’ A Harvard study says that participating in religious services once a week or more is correlated with greater longevity, lower levels of depression, more optimism, and lower suicide rates.* Um, pardon? Yes, that’s right. Participating in religious … Continue reading Going to worship is good for you, study says
praise and worship
Perspective corrective
[Note: After today, The Up Devotional will go on pause for a week, returning on June 12, 2023.] If you want to read something that tells you that everything is always wonderful and that life should be a non-stop parade of flowers and lollipops, don’t read the Bible. The Bible is too honest for that. … Continue reading Perspective corrective
Fighting pessimism with praise
King David was no stranger to danger. He faced threats (internal and external), sickness, and war. One of the reasons so many people love his psalms is because they are so honest. He demonstrates a wide range of emotions and thoughts while speaking to (or talking about) God, and while going through his various difficulties. … Continue reading Fighting pessimism with praise
What YOU bring to worship
“…at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). An enduring praise song from the 1990’s is Matt Redman’s “The Heart of Worship.” The song emerged after a … Continue reading What YOU bring to worship
The launching pad for life
We worship and praise God because God is great. He deserves it. Accordingly, Karl Barth says that worship is “the most urgent, the most glorious action that can take place in human life.”* But we can’t miss the fact that how you worship impacts how you live. This isn’t about worship style. It’s not about … Continue reading The launching pad for life
Stumbling into (or preparing to) worship
We have been talking about worship and how Jesus says to worship God “in the Spirit and in truth.” In fact, “they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” (John 4:23). Wow. What do you seek? The weekend, a raise, losing 10 pounds? God seeks people to worship him in a certain way. Today … Continue reading Stumbling into (or preparing to) worship
The antithesis of worship
In John 4:23 Jesus says that God seeks true worshipers who “will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth…” After considering the context of this passage and others, here’s what I think this means: It means focusing more on what is happening within you than around you; being open to the movement of … Continue reading The antithesis of worship
Warning signs over sanctuary doors
Will Willimon was the dean of the Duke University Chapel. There was a student who had never been to chapel and didn’t have any intention of going. Willimon asked him why. The student explained that things were going pretty well in his life and he didn’t want to get “jerked around” by God in a … Continue reading Warning signs over sanctuary doors
The One who makes our voices soar [and your musical favs]
Earlier this week, I invited you to submit your favourite praise songs or hymns. The full list is below. Thanks for sharing! Perhaps there is something in there to uplift you. God can use music to do just that! In The Shawshank Redemption, an inmate named Andy goes into the office of one of the guards … Continue reading The One who makes our voices soar [and your musical favs]
With reverence and awe
Many of us are worshipping God at home these days while sitting on a couch or a chair. Some churches have resumed limited in-person gatherings, but not all. [For those of you in America, you’re a bit further along than we are north of the border.] Either way, our external posture shouldn’t dictate our internal … Continue reading With reverence and awe
