Worship Gives Us Peace and Rest Even in Great Adversity

Can worship give us peace and rest even in great adversity? Let’s learn from Psalm 95.
 
Psalm 95 describes many attributes of God. He is the great King above all things. He is our God, who created the mountains, the sea, and the land, and who created us. He saved us and continues to care for us (v1, 3-7).
 
In light of who He is, Psalm 95 describes different ways to worship Him. For example, we adore Him with emotion by singing joyfully to Him in praise and thanksgiving. We adore Him with will by submitting to him, bowing only to Him. And we adore Him with intellect by listening to Him and following Him (v1, 2, 6-8).
 
Worshipping the wrong thing is detrimental. We may think owning some earthly object will make our life perfect. In Harry Potter’s Mirror of Erised, “Erised” is “Desire” spelled backwards. Deeply desiring an earthly object will make it an idol, which can then control us and ultimately destroy us.
 
Psalm 95 ends with declaring that the Israelites who left Egypt will find no rest. Believing in God as who He is, and believing that He accepts us because of Christ, not due to who we are or what we do, will give us true rest. Then we can find peace, even in the midst of crisis.
 
Note that Psalm 95 always uses the word “us,” not “me.” Worshipping in a group has benefits. For example, the group helps each other see God’s different personalities.
 
See the highest beauty, power, and love in God Himself. Then our hearts will exalt our great and loving God. We will thank Him, and joyfully sing to Him. We will kneel, bow, and listen to Him, so that the dangers and suffering of this world will cease to control us. The power of evil will dissipate. In great adversities, we will still have peace, joy, and rest.
 
Summarized from a Tim Keller sermon:
http://www.gospelinlife.com/free-sermon-resource
https://gospelinlife.com/downloads/worship-7362/
 


即使在厄运当中，敬拜仍能带给我们平安与休息
 
敬拜能在艰难困苦中带来平安与休息吗？让我们从诗篇95中学习。
 
诗篇95描述了上帝的许多属性。祂是万物之王, 我们的上帝。祂创造了山脉、海洋和大地。祂创造了我们，拯救了我们，并继续看顾我们 （诗 95:1，3-7）。
 
诗篇95基于上帝是谁描述了不同的方式来敬拜祂。例如，用自己的情感敬拜祂, 向祂歌唱，赞美祂并感谢祂；用自己的意志敬拜祂, 顺服祂，向祂鞠躬跪拜；用自己的才智敬拜祂, 倾听并跟随祂（诗 95:1、2、6-8）。
 
敬拜错误的对象会带来极大的损害。我们也许认为拥有一些属世之物可使生活变得完美。 在电影Harry Potter中有一面镜子叫Mirror of Erised。“Erised”是英文单词“Desire” 的倒写。对世物深切的渴望可使之成为自己的偶像， 然后它便能控制而最终摧毁我们。
 
诗篇95结束的时候宣稱离开埃及的以色列人永不能安息。为了能安息，认识上帝，相信上帝。相信上帝接纳我们是因为基督，而不是因为我们的所是或所为，这将给我们真正的安息。即使面临巨大的危机，我们也能得着平安。
 
留心诗篇95总是使用“我们”一词，而不是“我”。团体敬拜有其好处。例如小组成员互相帮助了解神的不同特性。
 
感受上帝至高无上的大能、 美丽和慈爱。这样，我们的心就会高举这位伟大慈爱的上帝，颂扬祂, 感谢祂, 并快乐地向祂歌唱。我们会俯首，跪拜，聆听祂的话。世上的危机和痛苦将不再控制我们，邪恶的力量要消散。我们虽然面临艰难困苦仍能得着平安、喜乐和休息。