At the beginning of March a Chinese couple in Memphis received bad news. It appeared that the wife had cancer. The couple, Pu Quingwah and her husband Zhou Jingran, attend Highland. Both are medical doctors. Both are involved in medical research. Both know how to interpret medical data. And there seemed to be no mistaking this data. Pu had lab reports and scans which led her and her husband and her doctors to suspect the worst. One Monday night doctors operated on Pu to examine the expected cancer in her lung. Zhou waited anxiously in the waiting area. Then the doctor came out to speak to Zhou. With amazement he said they couldn’t find the cancer. The cancer which the tests appeared to indicate was nowhere to be found. Pu and Zhou and others had been praying for this very thing. It was indeed a miracle.
Ron Wade, one of Highland’s shepherds, was one of the first to hear the news. when he heard it, he rejoiced. He shared the story with me in the hallway. He emailed the staff and elders. He couldn’t hold it in. He rejoiced.
It’s a natural response. When God’s activity in our lives is unmistakable, we rejoice.
Perhaps the greatest illustration of this in the Bible is when Moses and the Israelites get to the other side of the Red Sea in Ex. 15. For hundreds of years Pharaoh and the Egyptians enslaved the Israelites. But after ten mighty plagues from God, Pharaoh begged Moses to take his people and go. Then, having second thoughts about expelling his work force, Pharaoh and his mighty army pursued the Israelites to the shore of the Red Sea. And just when it seemed hopeless once again for the Israelites, God parted the Red Sea. Moses and the Israelites walked through on dry ground. Pharaoh’s army pursued, but then God causes the Red Sea to merge back, leaving that army at the bottom of the sea.
This activity of God’s almost exceeds our ability to imagine it. It was so unexpected and so powerful that it may be difficult for us to fully appreciate. That’s why I encourage you now to watch this brief video clip. Perhaps its visualization of the event will help you experience the event in some small way:
Imagine if you were Moses at the end of that clip. What would you do? The natural response would be to rejoice. Ex. 15 indicates that is exactly what Moses did: Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: “I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea. 2 “The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. 3 The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name. 4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea. 5 The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone. 6 Your right hand, LORD, was majestic in power. Your right hand, LORD, shattered the enemy. 7 In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed you. You unleashed your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble. 8 By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up. The surging waters stood up like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea. 9 The enemy boasted, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake them. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword and my hand will destroy them.’ 10 But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters. 11 Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? 12 You stretch out your right hand, and the earth swallows your enemies.” (Ex. 15:1-12 TNIV).
Moses rejoices. Moses worships. Notice especially this line: The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea. (Ex. 15:4 TNIV). This line gets at the enormity of what God has done. These were the finest soldiers in the world. They served the strongest army in the world. They were commanded by Pharaoh, the most powerful man in the world. They protected the strongest nation in the world. And they were defended and aided by what they believed were the strongest gods in the world. But God took the strongest officers, serving the strongest army, commanded by the strongest man, protecting the strongest nation, defended by the strongest gods in the world and he hurled them to the bottom of the sea.
And it is no wonder that having experienced this unmistakable activity of God’s, Moses and the Israelites rejoice and worship. 1″I will sing to the LORD… 2He is my God, and I will praise him, Moses says. When God’s activity in our lives is unmistakable we rejoice.
And there are some of you here this morning worshiping and rejoicing for that very reason. You have recently experienced in your life some unmistakable activity of God’s and you are here to rejoice about it, to worship God because of it. Lincoln Atnip and his family worship with joy this morning because of Lincoln’s recent baptism. Derek and Marta Mullenix worship with joy this morning because of the recent delivery of their new daughter. Wasim Khokhar and his family worship with joy this morning because after months of searching Wasim has a new job. The Williamson children are worshiping with joy this morning because God has added Abayomi to their family. How about you? Are you rejoicing about something this morning? 1L.5
For some of us, at some times, this is what drives our worship. We experience something unmistakable from God and we gather with other Christians and praise God. And if you have experienced God’s activity in your life this week, I urge you to do just that: worship God, praise God, rejoice over it—just as Moses did.
But what drives our worship when God’s activity is not as obvious? What is worship about when there’s been no parting of the Red Sea recently? A few days ago I spoke to a Christian grandparent who shared that his grandchild is being influenced negatively by the grandchild’s father. The grandparent was burdened by this. There’s a mother here this morning whose daughter is having a nervous breakdown. I personally know of four people this morning who have not found a job. What is worship about for them? It’s easy to worship with joy when God’s activity in our lives is unmistakable. But what about when God’s activity seems invisible?
In Ps. 77 we hear from just such a person: 1 I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. 2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted. 3 I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint. 4 You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. 5 I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; 6 I remembered my songs in the night. My heart meditated and my spirit asked: 7 “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? 8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? 9 Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” (Ps. 77:1-9 TNIV). This person’s present seems to be just the opposite of Moses’ present. Moses’ present circumstances led him to believe that God was present, God was merciful, God was compassionate, and that God had heard and answered their prayer for help. As a result, Moses worshiped with great joy. But this Psalmist’s present circumstance led him to believe that God was absent, God was not merciful, God was not compassionate, and that God had not heard his plea for help.
How do you worship when God’s activity seems invisible? This is someone who’s been pleading with God night and day: 1 I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. 2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands. This is someone whose present spiritual life is so gut-wrenching that he is not sleeping and he cannot even talk about it with others: You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. This is a person of faith who, if he used to have confidence and conviction, now only has questions: 7 “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? 8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? 9 Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” What’s going to bring a person like that to worship on Sunday morning? Is there any reason to worship for those of you who connect with these words?
Let’s keep listening: 10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. 11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. 12 I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” 13 Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? 14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. 15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. 16 The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed. 17 The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth. 18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. 19 Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. 20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. (Ps. 77:10-20 TNIV). What’s going on here? What is this Psalmist doing? If you listen closely, you realize that he has decided that his worship is not going to be limited by what’s happened in his recent circumstances. For the moment, he forgets about his present circumstances. And he goes back to the exodus. He opens his Bible and reads once again about the exodus and the parting of the Red Sea.
More specifically, if we listen very closely, we hear that he actually starts singing the Song of Moses. Just look at the correspondence between what Moses sang and what this Psalmist writes: Moses sang of God’s holiness: Who is like you— majestic in holiness (Ex. 15:11 TNIV). The Psalmist takes up that same line: 13 Your ways, God, are holy. (Ps. 77:13 TNIV).
· Moses sang of God’s uniqueness: Who among the gods is like you, LORD? (Ex. 15:11 TNIV). The Psalmist sings the same lyric: What god is as great as our God? (Ps. 77:13 TNIV).
· Moses worshiped God for his power: 6 Your right hand, LORD, was majestic in power… By the power of your arm they will be as still as a stone (Ex. 15:6, 16 TNIV). The Psalmist also worships God for his power: you display your power among the peoples. (Ps. 77:14 TNIV)
· Moses sang of God’s arm: By the power of your arm they will be as still as a stone (Ex. 15:16 TNIV). The Psalmist echoes this line: With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. (Ps. 77:15 TNIV).
· Moses sang of the people being redeemed: In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. (Ex. 15:13 TNIV). The Psalmist echoes this line: With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. (Ps. 77:15 TNIV).
· Moses sang of God leading his people: In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. (Ex. 15:13 TNIV). The Psalmist sings the same tune: You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. (Ps. 77:20 TNIV).
· And for Moses, this was all rooted in the unmistakable activity of God: : “I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea. . 4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea. 5 The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone. 10 They sank like lead in the mighty waters. (Ex. 15:1, 4, 10 TNIV). The Psalmist likewise points to this unmistakable activity: 16 The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed. 17 The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth. 18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. 19 Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. (Ps. 77:16-19 TNIV).
The Psalmist is singing the son g of Moses. God seems invisible right now. There is little good about life in the present. But the Psalmist sings the Son g of Moses. And as he does, he remembers. He remembers beyond the present to the past. He remembers the great wonders of God in the past. When God’s activity is unmistakable we rejoice. But when God’s activity is invisible, we remember. This Psalmist’s worship will not be limited by the state of his present. Instead it will be rooted in his memory of what God has done long ago. He will worship because of what God did in Moses’ day not merely because of what God is doing or not doing in his day.
We see here, in the words of Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann, a move from “my present” to “our past.”[1] Up to a point the Psalmist is focused solely on “my present”: I cried out; I was in distress, I sought; I stretched; I would not be comforted; I remembered; I groaned; I meditated; I was too troubled. And if our spiritual life is only rooted in “my present” worship will only flow on those days when we can point to something in “my present” that has been an undeniable proof of God’s love. The Psalmist, however, refuses to allow his spiritual life to be limited to “my present.” Instead, he turns to “our past.” He remembers that he is part of a community. He is part of a people. And that community’s history with God far exceeds his own personal history. As he roots around in “our past” he finds reason for worship and faith and trust and hope. He sings the Song of Moses. And that song reminds him of the times in “our past” when God worked in unmistakable ways. He finds that worship and faith can be driven by “our past” rather than merely “my present.”
The Psalmist is saying that no matter what’s going on in his present, he still has reason for joy and praise. That reason? It’s found in the great deeds of God of old. The Psalmist may not find proof of God’s activity right now. But he does find proof in the past that God acts powerfully for his people. And thus the Psalmist worships.
How do they worship this morning—that grandparent who is concerned about the grandchild, the mother whose daughter is having a nervous breakdown, those individuals still searching for a job? They sing the Song of Moses. They gather with us and through our songs, just like the Son g of Moses, they recall not merely their present but our past. They recall the way God parted the Red Sea. They remember the way God collapsed the walls of Jericho. They are reminded of the way God acted through Jesus Christ. And in those unmistakable acts of God, they find reason to sing and praise and rejoice.
For over forty years my Dad had the same office at his workplace. I remember visiting his office as a young child. He is a scientist so he always had his bookshelves stacked with scientific books. He had a big chalkboard that was filled with mathematical equations. But in stark contrast to these things, he also peppered his office with pictures of me and my brother and things we had drawn or made over the years. I always thought they looked strange there among all the scientific stuff. And I always wondered why he kept that junk around? But now that I’m a father, I understand. My bookshelves are filled with works on doctrine and theology. My files are filled with sermons and classes. But scattered throughout my office are pictures of my family and things my children have made for me over the years. Near my computer screen is a clay replica of me which Jordan made on Father’s Day in 2007. Behind me is a cork board filled with homemade birthday and Father’s day cards and pictures my kids have drawn. And I know now why my Dad kept those things around—they remind me of my larger history. Especially when I’m having a tough day, a bad week, a rough month, or a challenging year, I can look at these things and they remind me of my larger history. They remind of things in the past for which I can praise God regardless of what’s going on in my present. This Psalmist is saying that’s how worship works. That’s why he downloads the Song of Moses onto his mp3 player. That’s why he turns to the Song of Moses in the song book. Worship is what reminds us of our larger history. Especially when we’re having a tough day, a bad week, a rough month, or a challenging year we can eat the bread and drink the juice and remember the amazing work of God in Christ in our past; we can read the words of Scripture and remember the awesome stories of God’s history; we can sing the words of the songs and recall the mighty wonders of God. And through that, regardless of what’s happening in our present, we find a reason to praise.
[1] Walter Bruggemann and Patrick Miller (editor), The Psalms and the Life of Faith (Fortress, 1995), 265.
