Over-the-Top

Warriors Arise: April 13, 2023

1 Chronicles 16:7-31 (NKJV) On that day David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, to thank the Lord:

8 Oh, give thanks to the Lord!

Call upon His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples!

9 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;

Talk of all His wondrous works!

10 Glory in His holy name;

Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!

11 Seek the Lord and His strength;

Seek His face evermore!

12 Remember His marvelous works which He has done,

His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,

13 O seed of Israel His servant,

You children of Jacob, His chosen ones!

14 He is the Lord our God;

His judgments are in all the earth.

15 Remember His covenant forever,

The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,

16 The covenant which He made with Abraham,

And His oath to Isaac,

17 And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute,

To Israel for an everlasting covenant,

18 Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan

As the allotment of your inheritance,”

19 When you were few in number,

Indeed very few, and strangers in it.

20 When they went from one nation to another,

And from one kingdom to another people,

21 He permitted no man to do them wrong;

Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes,

22 Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones,

And do My prophets no harm.”

23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth;

Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.

24 Declare His glory among the nations,

His wonders among all peoples.

25 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised;

He is also to be feared above all gods.

26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,

But the Lord made the heavens.

27 Honor and majesty are before Him;

Strength and gladness are in His place.

28 Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples,

Give to the Lord glory and strength.

29 Give to the Lord the glory due His name;

Bring an offering, and come before Him.

Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!

30 Tremble before Him, all the earth.

The world also is firmly established,

It shall not be moved.

31 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;

And let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”

David is so stirred up, he is declaring to the heavens to rejoice and for the earth to be glad. Why would he say such a thing? Is bringing God back to the city really that big of a deal? He is really over-the-top. He exhorts the people, then extends the celebration to be in the heavens, all over the earth and among the nations. He thinks everyone and everything should be in celebration of God returning to His people, to all of His people.

I am trying to expand my mind to comprehend what David is saying here. I want to grasp his heart and thoughts of why this is so important. We are after the cross; the life, sacrificial death, and resurrection. We have God with us. The Messiah has come, the Savior of the world reigns, and Emmuael is with us. When He ascended to heaven He sent Holy Spirit to dwell within us. What did the people and David have? They had the presence of God seated upon the mercy seat of the ark of the Lord. They did not have a risen Savior. They had the hope of the Messiah to come.

It makes me wonder if David knew what was to come. If he could feel it in his bones. He had a knowing deep within. The Messiah is coming and we will worship God right were we are in the midst of this amazing story of redemption. Maybe David didn't know but he had a knowing. He had hope and security in God. He knew there was a plan and that it included everyone worshipping Him. One day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. All the earth and heavens will display His majesty.

Philippians 2:5-11 (NKJV) Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Did David see in his mind, this day coming? I wouldn't be surprised. Do I see the day of the Lord's return coming? Do I celebrate in anticipation? Or do I wait impatiently, growing weary, wandering in my faith, or refraining from testifying of what God has done, because I am unsure if He will ever come?

David had such an anticipation of God wanting to be with His people and encouraged the people to engage in worshipping God. He even saw in his mind that the surrounding nations would say, "The Lord reigns." I am challenged. Do I worship the Lord in such a way that it causes the nations to rise up and say, "The Lord reigns"? But David did. He worshipped with everything that was within him. This was such a big deal that he felt everyone, even if they were not Israelites, should worship the Lord and recognize who He was and is and is to come. Why did he think that was possible? Well, his great, great, great grandmother was a Gentile and she testified of God, was saved and grafted into God's family. Then His great, great grandmother was a Moabite. She took God as her own and was grafted into God's family. Why would he even question God's ability to continue to draw the other nations to Himself? He didn't. He believed anyone who believed would be grafted into God's family. He had an over-the-top faith in God's abundant love.

Father, I ask for You to come and open my mind. I want to operate with David's faith in You and Your plan. I want to worship You with all that I am. I want to lead others to worship You. There is breakthrough in all that You have for me and for each one. I will testify of Your greatness and tell of the wondrous things You have done. I will lift Your name on high and exalt Your goodness. You are my King and I will serve no other, in Jesus' name amen.

A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,

Veridee Joy Hand

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