Unbroken Praise

Have you ever taken a class where they forced you to focus on your breathing? The clear cadence of in for six, out for six. It makes you stop and think about the way we breathe. How the air fills our lungs. Whether we breathe through the diaphragm or with our shoulders. The funny thing is that it takes a class or some sort of practice for us to focus on the breath we take. Most days we just go about our day without a thought about how we continue to breathe. It’s this innate, second nature that keeps our intake of air coming and going.

And the truth behind the science of our breathing is that this should also be how our worship should be. Too often, though, it’s not. We, in a 21st century world, have limited our worship to only a few segments throughout our week. But just like breathing, worship can’t be limited to one portion of our day or one day of our week. We’re always doing it (Bob Kauflin, Worship is My Life, Not My Role).

Let’s be honest, we all worship something. Every day and every week of our lives points to what we worship. Just like breathing. The choice we have as people is what we worship. Throughout all of Scripture we read how our worship is meant to be the overflow of our hearts because of the glory of God. It’s something meant to be pursued all week long. Through our devotional reading, at our jobs or throughout our schools, and, yes, even in our free time. Our worship is meant to be just as second nature as our breathing. This is the reason King David wrote I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together (Psalm 34:1-3 NLT).

David saw his life as something that needed to constantly be pointing to and worshipping God for all he had done. Even in his lowest times. Worship to David was equal to or even greater than the air he breathed. Can we say the same with our daily and weekly rhythm? Do we worship the living God as easily as we take a breath? To say I will bless the Lord at all times, not just on Sunday mornings (Bob Kauflin, Worship is My Life, Not My Role). It takes practice. To shift our focus from ourselves and what we want to lifting the name of Jesus high to have His will be done. It takes focus to make it as second nature as breathing. May that be the prayer of our hearts this week and the practice of our lives.