I am currently reading 'Now to Him' by the worship leader Neil Bennetts and the theologian Simon Ponsonby. I attach the Amazon link below in case you would like to buy a copy: Now to Him
Neil Bennetts is a New Wine worship leader as well as being the worship leader at HolyTrinity Cheltenham and Simon Ponsonby is a New Wine speaker and a theologian based at St Aldates Oxford. They are both people that have influenced me in my Christian journey, and their book has challenged and rebuked me, as well as inspiring me to deeper depths of worship. As a result, I thought that I would share with you some of the thinking that has resulted from reading this book, over the next few days.
Neil Bennetts relates the story of his friend whose child was born weighing just a pound, the weight of half a bag of sugar. As a member of the worship team, the father sought out the company of the rest of the team, not just to pray with him and for his child, but to worship with him and to help him keep on worshipping. In the direst and most testing of times this man's heart was to give God the worship he is due for who he is. His heart was to keep on saying yes to God and to cling on to him in worship. This challenged me: would I do this now? Have I continued to worship in the darkest times of my life?
Worshipping in dark times is totally Biblical. When Job loses his children and his property, he is able to respond with "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord." Job 1:21. This is not Job being stoical or controlled, or self possessed. This is Job saying "yes" to God and "no" to anger and despair.
Let's pray…
Lord, whatever today throws at us, let us say 'yes' to you by blessing your name at all times. Fill us with your Holy Spirit and keep us praising you.
Amen.
John Martin-Jones
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