Today’s devotion passage is from Psalms 98.  God use this poem to call me to sing and praise Him for the work of salvation.  I ask myself, when was a time I sing and shout for joy to the LORD?  I recalled singing joyfully and passionately during TC.  I was singing joyfully and passionately during the retreat.  I was singing joyfully because I was surrounded with brothers and sisters who are also singing joyfully and passionately to God.  During our worship service now, we sing louder and with more joy.  We have our university students coming back to worship with us in the summer.

As I talked to each one of the university students, many of them were active in their campus fellowships.  They have grew spiritually over the course of last year.  In a sense, they are like bamboo trees.  The growth of bamboo tree is very slow in the beginning, then all of a sudden, they would grow tremendously.  With their experience of God’s presence and seeing disciples being made on campus, they sing with passion to God for what God has done in their lives.  I thank God for convicting me to experience the work of God’s salvation.

Finally, I reflected more on what the majority of the people praise and worship .  I remembered the last playoff game the Toronto Raptors played on a Sunday afternoon.  I imagine all the fans watching live in the arena paying at least $100 a piece, all the fans watching outside the arena on the street, all the fans watching in sports bars, and all the rest watching at home.  I imagine how people were shouting and praising the key players at the final minute of the game (for the record, Toronto loss by one point).    Why are people passionately shouting and praising for a bunch of guys bouncing a basketball up and down a wooden floor?  I personally like the game of basketball.  Why people do not shout and praise God’s name with such passion?

The main reason is “Who” is reigning our heart?  To a devote fan of a basketball team, success of the team rules in his/her heart.  To a devote follower of Jesus Christ, the LORD reigns (rules) in his/her heart.   Success of the team means money, fame, and power, which are essentially what the world worships.  Jesus Christ is my master who gave me the gift of salvation and I have been free from the bondage of sin.

It comes down who do I open my heart to be ruled by.  Do I open my heart to be ruled by worldly success? or Do I humble my heart to be ruled by Jesus Christ?