I am sure sometimes we feel that way, that we just don't feel like worshipping. Where does "feel like" come from? It comes from our present circumstances or environment. In thinking about that I was reminded of the phrase, "a root out of a dry ground" found in Isaiah 53:2, which of course was prophesying the coming of our Lord. What does that phrase mean? The root is the channel for supplying life. A root out of a dry ground means there is no supply from circumstances or outward environment. If our Lord Jesus had tried to get His life from circumstances He could not have kept going, as many times it seemed all was an utter failure. And yet He rejoiced in spirit. Jesus knew nothing circumstantial can move or help us. In Romans 8:37 Paul states that "in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loves us." Paul doesn't say "above" or "out of" all things, but in the very midst of all circumstances. There is no source from outside. There is only one source or supply of life.
"A root out of a dry ground" means that our joy, our life, our peace does not come from outside. We have to come to a place where we know that all we have is in God alone. Otherwise, we are held up by things and even people who are seemingly the Lord's. If we are trying to draw life from our circumstances rather than . . . "God, our exceeding joy" then we will end up with nothing to carry us on, and we will not "feel like worshipping." Our worship is not fed by outward circumstances, but by God alone. If we are being supplied only by assembly of fellow believers, or whatever else - we must take it with a grain of salt. Yes, we live with our fellow believers, but we do not live by them. Our Lord Jesus rejoiced not in His circumstances or the people around Him. He rejoiced and lived in the Father. He knew from where the supply must come to keep Him going steadily. May we learn the same lesson . . . and then, we will always feel like worshipping. mjm
