#1 WORSHIP BEGINS WITH GOD
Okay, first things first. Find somewhere you can pause for a few minutes… perhaps a quiet corner at home, a park bench, or even your car. Grab your Bible or phone (maybe put it on Do Not Disturb… the group chat can wait), and let’s read Psalm 145:1–7 together. As you read, let’s notice what David says about who God is and what he has done.
I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendour of your majesty
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They tell of the power of your awesome works
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
Now, if you lead worship or serve on your worship or production team, you’ll know there’s a lot going on behind every Sunday. Prepping songs, learning parts, organising rehearsals, setting up equipment… and figuring out why something that worked perfectly last week has suddenly stopped working. There’s plenty to keep our brains busy…
All of those things matter. But somewhere between the planning, the messages and the last-minute changes, we can forget to spend time with the God we’re inviting everyone else to worship. And honestly, I think that’s something we’re all still learning.
In Psalm 145, David takes time to remember God’s greatness, goodness and the things he has done. He pays attention. He thinks about it. And as he does, he finds reasons to praise. It sounds simple. But when did we last give ourselves space to do the same?
It’s so easy for us to sing about God’s faithfulness without pausing to remember where we’ve experienced it ourselves. We can choose a song about his love while forgetting that those words are for us too. Sometimes we’re so focused on helping everyone else connect with God that our own time with him gets squeezed into whatever’s left.
So, as we journey together this month, let’s make a little more room.
Before jumping into the next setlist or ticking something else off the to-do list, take a moment to remember who God has been in your own life. Where has he been patient with you? What has he helped you through? What are you thankful for today?
You don’t have to come up with something impressive. It might be a moment when you felt less alone, someone who showed up when you needed them, or the quiet reminder that God hasn’t given up on you.
And if you’re coming into this month feeling tired or a bit all over the place, you can bring that too. We won’t always feel inspired or full of faith. Some days we’ll have a lot on our minds.
His goodness doesn’t change with our energy levels. We don’t need to have everything together to spend time with him. Worship begins with God, with who He is and what He has done.
So today… let’s slow down enough to notice.
A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
What’s one thing about God you’re especially grateful for today?
Where could you make a little space to be with him before preparing to lead or serve?
SOMETHING TO TRY TODAY.
Before diving in to plan your setlist, picking up your instrument or getting into Sunday prep, spend five minutes reading Psalm 145:1–7.
Choose one thing it tells you about God. Sit with it for a moment, then thank him in your own words.
You don’t need to turn it into a post, a thought to share with the team or something useful for Sunday. Give yourself a few minutes to be with him.
A PRAYER.
God, thank you that I can come to you as I am, even when my head’s full and my energy’s low. Help me slow down and notice your goodness today. Make the words I sing real to me again. As we journey through this month, help me keep learning, knowing you more and making space to hear from you. Amen.