Last night I went to an acapella concert. I enjoyed it and afterward I realized how much I miss singing with a Choir. I miss performing: the excitement and joy of pleasing a crowed...However what is even greater than that is being able to use an ability God has given me for him. To be used by God to center peoples hearts on Him is something so wonderful words can not express it.
I was listening to a John Piper sermon the other week about worship. The passage was in 2 chronicles chapter 20. It is the story of King Jehoshaphat overcoming the armies of the Ammonites, Moabites and an army from Mount Seir. Once the king heard the armies were on their way he went directly to the Lord in prayer. Yet it was not just a prayer for deliverance, But one of praise and worship...As King Jehoshaphat was seeking the Lord, along with all the men, women and children of Judah, a man prophesied they would all be delivered from the attacking armies.

"Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed." And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy array, as they went before the army, and say,

"Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever."

And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, destroying them utterly, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another." (2 Chronicles 20:18-23)

Much of the emphasis of the sermon was about the worship of God through song. I have never thought of myself as a warrior, but I guess am as I worship the Lord on the front lines powerfully, joyful and obediently. Thanks be to God for the victory given to us through the worship of Him.