Why Do We Worship?
"I saw little girls who used to live on the street worship Jesus. I saw little girls who were brutally raped worship His holy name. I watched teen moms hold their babies and raise their hands to worship Him as their babies copied. I saw former prostitutes worship Him. I saw liars and thieves and those infected with disease bow to Him. We had the children we came to serve praying for us. We worshiped together in different languages and came together from different cultures. Somehow, I believe I saw heaven on earth tonight.”
These are the words our friend Amy Block shared with us after a recent worship night at Village of Hope. It was a powerful night, and a humbling one. In the midst of pain and difficult lives, we saw a group of children come together and worship God with abandon.
Worship has been an important part of our ministry from the very beginning. Here’s what Marielle had to say about the power of worshipping our great God.
The presence of the Lord makes a difference.
Sometimes I am overwhelmed by the result of evil in this world. I hear the stories of teenage girls who have gone through more hardship than any child ever should. I see young boys hardened by a life on the street. I feel the desperation of the poor, the hungry, the lost, the empty.
The presence of the Lord makes a difference.
Sometimes I am at a loss for the right words. I have never been abandoned by my parents. I have never been raped. I have never lost a child or gone days without food. I don't know what to say.
The presence of the Lord makes a difference.
Sometimes I don't know what to do. There are so many who are lost. There are so many in need. I don't have enough time to sit with all the grieving. I don't have enough arms to hold all the hurting. I don't know where to start.
The presence of the Lord makes a difference.
Sometimes all I can do is fix my gaze on Jesus and invite Him to do what He does. He mends the broken hearted. He brings hope to the hopeless. He finds the lost. He restores what has been stolen. He redeems what has been broken. He gives life.
The presence of the Lord makes a difference.
He is the answer.