When we think of the work of God we usually immediately think of the cross and resurrection. There is good reason because it is a culmination of the redemptive work of God seen in God's purposes throughout history. Even though God's past works are in redemptive history, we still must be aware that He continues to work His wonders among us today with the same power, might and majesty of the past. It is true there are no more burning bushes, no atoning sacrifices or resurrections. But God still works today, even in the ordinary. Ordinary gathering of God's people in praise and prayer and we experience the glory of God. Ordinary preaching brings the spiritually dead to life. When God's people gather we are giving Him another opportunity to work among us, changing lives and glorifying His own name.
In covenants throughout God's Word there are always two parties. God speaks and delivers and we then respond in faith and repentance. But actually even faith and repentance are not our part, as God even grants faith and repentance. But He does call for us to respond; growing in grace; remaining faithful to the end.
Wonderfully we find the Psalms demonstrate over and over that dialogical sense of worship. When God demonstrates His wondrous works in creation, preservation, judgement, and redemption the response seen in the Psalms is confession, praise, thanksgiving, lament, and whatever else might be an appropriate response to the Divine.
Vagueness about the object of our praise will always lead to making our own praise the object. Praise can become an end in itself if we are caught up in our own "worship experience" rather than being completely caught up in the God whose character and acts are the only proper object of our worship.
God is faithful to meet His people in Christ as the Holy Spirit works through the people's worship: confession of sin, declaration of forgiveness, songs of praise, confession of the faith, preaching leading to obedience, prayers, and sacraments. The Person and Work of the Triune God must always be front and center in our worship. What we prefer or "feel" at the moment becomes sentimental individualism, rather than God-focused worship. He works . . . we respond! mjm
