{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Just Do It","description":"      Praise the Lord (Psalm 150:1). Once, I took a two-week class with the late Dallas Willard. He began with two instructions. Each of us was to sleep 10 hours a night and we were to find a lonely place and shout Psalms 145-150 to the Lord. He explained that fatigue was one of the greatest problems in the North American church today, especially among church leaders. Fatigue hinders our ability to pay proper attention to things, especially to our own hearts and to the quiet movements of God\u2019s Spirit. Willard also explained that praising God is difficult. We resist. It helps if our bodies lead the way. Further, the ending of the book of Psalms is raucous. It demands energy. Sitting quietly at the kitchen table whispering these psalms just won\u2019t do. At the end of the Psalter, we are given a glimpse of what is happening everywhere, all the time: the worship of God. Psalm 150 is probably the most challenging of all the psalms: it\u2019s not about you, it\u2019s not about me, it\u2019s about God; all about God! Why do Christians gather for worship services? Not primarily for our own sake, but because God is worthy of our worship. This psalm gives us the basics of worship. First, where is God to be praised? In his sanctuary, in his mighty heavens, of course. This is God\u2019s throne room from where he rules the universe. Remembering where he is causes us to look up to him and away from ourselves. Second, why should we worship him? \u201cPraise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.\u201d This is a summation of his powerful rule and provision. We are allowed to fill in some details from our own lives. Third, the \u2018how of worship\u2019 gets a bit chaotic. \u201cPraise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.\u201d As I said, its raucous. All the stops are pulled out. Finally, the psalm asks \u2018Who? Who should praise the Lord?\u201d And the answer is: everything. \u201cLet everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.\u201d A lot has been said about God in all these psalms; we know the reasons to praise God. Just do it. Our praise of God is more than music, more than worship services. We believe that everything Christians do ought to be worship. \u2018We are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices\u201d (Romans 12:2). Everything is to be done to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). Such living is normally fuelled by communal worship services. What keeps you from \u2018just doing it.\u2019 Find ways to pay more attention to God and to yourself. And praise the Lord! Just do it! As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: \u201cMay God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together\u2014spirit, soul, and body\u2014and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he\u2019ll do it\u201d (1 Thessalonians 5:23). ","author_name":"Wilderness Wanderings","author_url":"http:\/\/www.immanuelministries.ca\/","html":"