Fire Hose Meditation

"Too often, my worship is tamed by the complications and struggles of this world. But I long to be in a place where my fire for God cannot be quenched or washed away, even by the mightiest rivers of opposition. I long for a worship that can never be extinguished."—Matt Redman

A meditation for just another Sunday (or not)...

For every fire hose of life's circumstance this week that has tried to extinguish the priority of First Love, let this morning be a choice to rekindle, to draw near once more to the Fire and comfort of unfailing Love, to be reminded once more by tasting and seeing—not with arms folded, or checking the phone one more time just because, well, who knows why—but by leaning in hard to what and Who alone is truly good so that we won't fall over.

The how is never complicated. The beautiful, Life-giving, Life-renewing choice is always up to us. And this day, we fight again for the good. Today, this morning, let it again ring inside of all who enter to gather, "yes, and amen!" The Sons of Korah in Psalm 48 are pointing the way...

1. Remember to take the time and savor the lyrics even if you've sung them a thousand times before, fight the urge to daydream when the Word is spoken or to keep a mental checklist going so you can go home, and by all means make room for God to invade all our best-laid plans. God is never in a hurry, so go and do likewise..."We pondered Your love-in-action, God, waiting in Your temple."

2. Remember to let the Name of Jesus be found frequently on your lips, in prayer, in praise, in routine. But of course. Except today is the day to choose to remember what you already know but quickly forget when that fire hose hits: There is power, there is peace, there is clarity and direction, there is hope in His Name beyond your imagination and unlike with any other word you can ever utter..."Your Name, God, evokes a train of hallelujahs wherever it is spoken, near and far."

3. When sighing wants to invade and rule your soul, speak back and keep gratitude always and forever close by, and know that when you ask Him for what you need, as we were told on retreat last weekend, "Don't whimper when you ask—you're His kid!" Choose gratitude over and over again because "Your arms are heaped with goodness-in-action."

Lord, no matter how big the fire hose was this week, one more time, we're coming back to the heart of worship..and it's all about You.

"I found that the goodness of God, the very foundation of worship, is not a thing you pay your respects to out of some kind of disinterested reverence. No, it is something to be enjoyed: 'Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!'”—John Piper