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Monday, June 15, 2020 - Join Pastor John for a Daily Devotional

June 15, 2020 by Rev. John Hartman

“A Hallelujah from Head to Toe”

Yesterday, we returned to in-person worship for the first time since March 15. It was wonderful to once again be together after all this time apart. We began with our 8:00 am outdoor service. The weather was perfect, the technology held up just beautifully, and the music was moving. Now the preacher was just okay, but you can’t have everything! My thanks to all those who were part of helping pull off this service. Also, my thanks to all of you who attended, and worshipped with us either by staying in your car, and listening on the radio (FM102.1), or joining us out on the lawn. It was a deeply meaningful experience of worship for me, and I enjoyed and savored every minute of it. Our second service at 10:00 am was inside the Family Life Center. Again, my thanks to all those who helped with this service, and for those of you who attended. We did not have many come inside and join us, but it was so nice to see the familiar faces, and to have flesh and blood people in front of me, -- as well as so many of you who continue to worship with us via Zoom.

I believe that what matters most to God is the praise that comes from the depths of our souls, regardless if we are inside, outside, or worshipping remotely. No matter how melodic the music, or poetic the prayers, the songs and prayers will bounce off the ceiling and fall flat as a pancake, unless it comes authentically from our hearts. The Bible says in Psalm 103:1, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me.” Worship needs to be real and genuine. For me, yesterday was as real as it gets. Now, some of you are intellectual types so that when you come to worship, you naturally engage your minds in worship, while your emotions collect cobwebs in your seats. Others of you are naturally emotional robust people, and come enthusiastically to have your feelings engaged, while your minds shift into neutral. I suspect that many of us came to worship to enjoy the fellowship (even at a distance) with our beloved Chestnut Level Church family. There is nothing wrong with any of these things. As St. Augustine said, “We are to be a Hallelujah from head to toe.”

Yesterday was a day of ecstasy. “Ecstasy” means literally, “To stand beside yourself.” Our worship felt like a time to be beside ourselves. The Apostle Paul told the Church in Ephesus that we have been “destined and appointed to live for the praise of his glory.” By virtue of our eternal election, physical creation, the redemption of Jesus Christ, and the voice of our faith, -- we belong to Him.

As we continue in these summer months together, let us worship “to live for the praise of his glory.” This means day by day, Sunday after Sunday, -- both the red letter days, and the pothole days, we will hold nothing back from the Lordship of Jesus Christ as we worship together, and be able to say, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless His holy name!”