¹Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. ² Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
Psalm 29:1-2
 
Order is important.  I was reminded of that as I was getting dinner ready.  I was running late (it happens way more than you think) and had finally finished peeling all the potatoes.  I had just enough time to pop them in the oven, but I forgot one crucial detail.  I didn’t preheat said oven.  I missed what should have happened first…
 
Has that ever happened to you?  Have you missed what should have happened first?  I found myself overwhelmed last week.  Life happens that way…  And I couldn’t understand how to fix the situation.  So instead of worrying I decided to worship.
 
This sermon series has been eye-opening.  Throughout the series I keep hearing in my head, “You have to build the altar before you build the temple.”  If we miss the order, we focus on what God can do for us, not on who He is.  God gives good gifts, but if that’s all we’re after we’re not surrendering our hearts to Him.
 
I wrote “Magnify” this last week, but the words had already been penned.  King David wrote them when He reflected on the glory of God in Psalm 29.  “Ascribe to the Lord…”  But what exactly does that mean?
 
The short answer?  We tell the world how strong God is.  And when we worship, we bow down before the Lord.  We come before Him in humility, acknowledging that apart from Him we can do nothing.
 
“Magnify” isn’t about asking the Lord for anything.  It’s about giving Him the glory due His Name.  When we praise Him for who He is FIRST we give Him honor.  I don’t want to build a temple and realize it’s not what God wanted.
 
When I build the altar first, I know what God is after every single time.  He wants my heart.  He wants to change me from the inside.  Have you mixed up the order?  There’s still time to come back. 
 
“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His Name!”  Can’t wait to worship with you this weekend!
We are Central… and we’re in this TOGETHER! 
SOLI DEO GLORIA
-F