Worship Devotional - "The Catalyst for Praise"

Key Scripture: "Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God." - Psalm 43:3-4

Reflection

In scientific terms, a catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change. The significance of a catalyst is that it needs to be present for the reaction to take place.

Many people who have been saved for years struggle to actively participate in praise and worship and don't know why. They erroneously believe, or have been incorrectly instructed, that it is because they are not musically inclined or that it's not all that important. But the reason for the struggle is because the catalyst of God's Word is missing.

God's Word must be present in our lives for the reaction of praise to take place. Praise is the outward expression of an inward explosion of God's Word. It is the unsolicited release mechanism of our personal revelation of the greatness of God as we have discovered Him in His Word. So if we don't regularly read the Word, we are lacking the essential scriptural context for our praise.

Good musicians and great songs certainly help us focus on God, but it is God's Word that ultimately is the praise leader in our hearts. The psalmist understood this when he asked God to send out His light and truth to lead him to the place of praise.

Today's Challenge

Before your next time of praise or worship, spend at least ten minutes reading Scripture. Notice how the Word becomes the fuel that ignites your praise. Let God's truth lead you to His altar.

Prayer

Father, I recognize that Your Word is the catalyst for my praise. Forgive me for trying to manufacture praise without the fuel of Scripture. Send out Your light and Your truth today—let them lead me to Your holy hill where I can praise You with a full heart. Amen.