In Psalms 137 many Jews had been taken in captivity to Babylon. Separated from their place of worship, especially the Temple, they sat down and said, “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?” (verse 4) They had to learn new ways of worship and God blessed them even in Babylon. As God taught Israel to be His people in a different situation, their faith was strengthened. When they eventually returned to Jerusalem their faith was stronger than when they left. Their adversity taught them much about God and what it means to be His people. They did learn new ways of worship and so can we. God is where we are and not limited to a building or specific methods of worship.
In Acts 16 there is a story of Paul and his helpers being beaten and put in prison at Philippi. They could have been sad and dejected but instead, they turned the jail into a place of worship. They began singing praises to God, worshipping God where they were. We can learn from Paul and others in the New Testament how God uses our circumstances to show us who He is. Wherever we are, God is with us to bless us and teach us new ways to serve and honor Him.
After Paul and Silas worshipped in prison, God moved in a great way to manifest His power. An earthquake shook the jail and destroyed it. Paul preached in prison and the jailer and his family were saved and baptized. God is not limited to a place or time or even a special way to show us who He is. So, let us rejoice, worship, and serve wherever we are, and God will show us His love and His power in ways we cannot imagine.
