Oh to be like David and Asaph.

My Bible is a New International Version Worhsip Bible. And I love it. And today I wanted to write something so badly, something worth while. Because I feel like when I sit down to write on this blog, sometimes I don't have anything to say. So I turned to the first page of the book of Psalms, which happens to be the introduction that the editors give. All about the history and meaning of the book. And here is a little tidbit of what they have to say about Psalms:

"More than any other single book, Biblical or otherwise, the book of Psalms teaches us how to worship. Each psalm expresses, not merely the heart of the composer, but also the heart of the Holy Spirit Who inspired the composition. The more we read, study, meditate upon, sing and pray the psalms, the more we will worship with authenticity and ardor. The psalms invite us to go deeper with the Lord than we have gone before-- and they expand the horizons of our heart for God as well."

Ah, to be like David, Asaph, and the others who wrote this book of praise. And I so miss this concept every time I read Psalms: that it is the literal example to me I have at my disposal-- without question or doubt-- how to worship my King. And when I pray to him to prepare me for the scripture I'm about to take in, I should be asking him to show me the heart of the Holy Spirit and to give me that authenticity. That obsession with Who God is. Yes, let me be so consumed by His power and love that I lose all feeling and awareness to the rest of life going on around me. And that when I write, when I praise, when I lament, that it is inspired and breathed by God himself, the one to whom I cry out.

He teaches us how to worship and we completely miss it. All the time. And then we complain that we aren't being fed at our church, we aren't getting anything from the Word, we haven't felt convicted in such a long time, or that the worship of our hearts just isn't reaching heaven. And he's sitting there saying "worship like this! Pray like this! Hope like this!" Nothing here will ever be enough. It is our duty to our souls and to our salvation to become fed when there is no food, to worship when there is no music, to be convicted when there are no convictions. Because we are made in his image and that is enough for us to be able to understand how to be Children of God.

I love my Bible, but I also love the breath behind it.

This is the 7th picture: A picture of someone who inspires you. Well, that's obvious...

She's overcome so much. And she's loved God through every minute of it all.

~Laramie