The Birth Of Praise And Worship (Exodus 15:1-21) Series

You go through life, in constant praise.

And if this isn't you, and you'd like it to be, let me give you three suggestions. You can take them or leave them.

You can try them out, maybe.

The first, is to take out your earbuds, and turn off the radios.

It's easy to live a life filled with noise, and talk, and music. When there's quiet, we find ourselves instinctively filling that quiet with sound.

But if you turn off the podcasts, and talk radio, and music, you are creating an opportunity to commune with God. You can talk to him. And you can sing to him.

Some of you have more time alone, doing mindless jobs than others. If you drive for a living, you are in an ideal spot to try all this out.

If you're a stay-at-home mom, this sounds unreasonable, and impossible.

It's harder, for sure.

But I still think the Christian life can look like a musical. God can be your song, as you go through each day. But part of making God your song, is to cut out some of the other music. For myself, every night I get to the gas pumps, and hear the country music, my own worship comes to a stop. I find myself humming songs about jilted lovers, and beer, instead. At least for a while, that becomes the song in my mouth. Make God your song.

The second thing you can do, if your life isn't a musical for God, might be to trust him more intentionally. If you call on God to rescue you, God will rescue. He is radically loyal. If you let God lead you in life, through his Spirit, and if you learn to call on him, when you need help, God will save you. And when God saves you, you will find yourself wanting to praise. "At that time" that God saves you, no one will have to encourage you to worship.

The third thing you can do, if your life isn't a musical for God, is to open your mouth. Singing is a choice. It's a resolve, you can make. You can praise, regardless of how you feel. Regardless of your circumstances. Look at Exodus 15:1: "I SHALL sing." You get to decide, if you want to join Moses, and praise God.

Now, maybe the coolest part of Moses' song, is that it has no end.

Let's turn to Revelation 15 (NRSV). Here, John is given a vision of God's people worshipping God:

15 Then I saw another portent in heaven, great and amazing: seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is ended.

2 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant[a] of God, and the song of the Lamb:

“Great and amazing are your deeds,

Lord God the Almighty!

Just and true are your ways,

King of the nations![b]

4 Lord, who will not fear

and glorify your name?

For you alone are holy.

All nations will come

and worship before you,

for your judgments have been revealed.”

5 After this I looked, and the temple of the tent[c] of witness in heaven was opened, 6 and out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, robed in pure bright linen,[d] with golden sashes across their chests. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever; 8 and the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were ended.