Heavenly Encounters - Sound
In Luke 2 we read of an entire host of angels appearing before the shepherds, gathering to give God praise. What an incredible encounter this must have been! There is a lot that can come from our worship to God. This prayer station explores the power of praise. Encounter Jesus through the sense of sound.
Scripture: And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.’
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ (Luke 2:8-15)
Heaven touched earth, and brought with it a symphony of praise. Angels are wonderful examples of how to shower God with adoration and awe-filled worship. I wonder in that moment just how awestruck the shepherds were as they witnessed not only one, but a host of angels praising God. Doesn’t that put into perspective how incredible God must be, if angels, which seem so awesome to us, fall on their faces before his throne? (Revelation 7:11).
When we worship, we are doing more than we realise. We are participating in a cosmic sound that is already in motion. We are aligning ourselves with the heavens. Worship is constant in Heaven, and it spills on to earth through us. We in our worship join with the angels and bring unity between Heaven and earth. What a beautiful, powerful reminder! God didn’t only come to earth through Jesus as a baby; he still resides with us today through his Holy Spirit.
Worship is an invitation into God’s presence, to encounter him. Some translations of Psalm 22:3 suggest that ‘God inhabits the praises of his people.’ He draws close to us when we praise him, making Heaven’s treasures an earthly reality. In the presence of God we find peace, hope, joy, strength, just to name a few. It is a sacred exchange with a God who loves to bless us. We pour out and he fills us back up! On the holy ground of our praises, God can transform the lost, the broken, the sick, the tired and the desperate. He doesn’t need complicated words or perfect pitch – just our honest hearts. Pour out your worship and allow God to fill you with the fruits of his Spirit, making us all that we couldn’t be without him.
As you sit at the prayer station, take a breath and interact with what you find surrounding you, allowing the words of this devotional to wash over you.
We serve a creative God who made us in his image. Creativity exists within all of us; it is not reserved for only some! Enjoy creative space to worship God through the inspiration of music. Break out of the ordinary and make space for heavenly encounters. You may want to complete some or all of the activities below.
- Write your own worship song to God – this is between you and God, so throw perfectionism out!
- Read these worship lyrics or listen to the song through headphones. Draw or write what it means to you. Let it inspire your own worship to Jesus.
Song: Nothing Else, by Cody Carnes
[Chorus]
I’m caught up in your presence
I just want to sit here at your feet
I’m caught up in this holy moment
I never wanna leave
Oh, I’m not here for blessings
Jesus, you don’t owe me anything
More than anything that you can do
I just want you
[Verse 1]
I’m sorry when I’ve just gone through the motions
I’m sorry when I just sang another song
Take me back to where we started
I open up my heart to you
[Verse 2]
I’m sorry when I’ve come with my agenda
I’m sorry when I forgot that you’re enough
Take me back to where we started
I open up my heart to you
[Chorus]
[Bridge]
I just want you
Nothing else, nothing else
Nothing else will do
I just want you
Nothing else, nothing else
Nothing else will do
- Place yourself in the story: draw/paint/describe the scene of the host of angels appearing before the shepherds to worship God in Luke 2. What beauty do you imagine in this scene? What do you think the shepherds felt or did during this moment? What soundtrack would fit this scene? Sit in this moment of imagination and see how God speaks to you through it.