Praise the Lord!
By Marianna Meachen, Director of Care Ministries
A lot has happened in the past year and-a-half. We went from unbounded freedoms to go wherever we wanted to a worldwide lockdown. We had the freedom to attend worship services in person every Sunday, meet in groups as large as we wanted, and give each other hugs. Then, in what felt like the blink of an eye, it was all taken from us.
But we did not let that stop us from worshipping God. We worshipped online, we worshipped on Zoom, we worshipped in small groups. We praised God despite our circumstances. Praising God in every circumstance gives us joy and pleases God. He gets glory from every act of praise no matter what shape or form.
A few years ago I realized that even though I prayed often, the only time I praised God was in worship services or as I was singing. I made a decision to praise God as often as possible and decided to go to sleep each night praising Him. Imagine my delight one night when I awoke at about 2 AM and was still praising God in my spirit and my mind. What joy I felt!
The Psalms are filled with verses on praise. Here are a few:
Psalm 100:4. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name
Psalm 150: 1-2 Praise the LORD. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness.
Psalm 92: 1-2 It is good to praise the LORD … proclaiming Your love in the morning and Your faithfulness at night.
Psalm 92 is an invitation to begin and end each day by giving thanks to God for His love and faithfulness. The Living Bible paraphrases it this way: “Every morning thank Him for His kindness, and every evening rejoice in all His faithfulness.”
It’s easy to be thankful when everything is going our way. But what if you don’t look forward to a new day? What if your health is failing, or you are confined to your home? Some people spend their days in bed, unable to do the things they want to do. How do you give thanks when life is nothing but a disappointment?
In his June 6th sermon, Pastor Steve spoke of Heather, a woman who was stricken years ago by a debilitating disease. She is no longer able to walk and is in great pain daily. But Heather told Pastor Steve, “God’s grace has made it possible for me to thank Him every day for His faithfulness. God’s grace has been more than sufficient, and I am a joyful and grateful Christian.” Heather is joyful! She praises God in all circumstances! She is reflecting how to praise God.
Thanking Him for what He has done in our lives can help us to think about “whatever is true,” which the apostle Paul says will help us have peace (Philippians 4:8). But, it can also change our hearts and lives as we pay closer attention to what God does for us on a daily basis.
So how can you praise Him more? Reflect on these:
When was the last time you made a list of what you were thankful for, other than at Thanksgiving?
Other than making a list, what is one way you can express your thanks for what God has done or is doing in your life now? Consider read Psalms of praise or sharing what you are thankful for with those around you.
Start your prayer time with praise.
Prayer: Abba, give us the grace to praise You in spite of what is going on in or lives––our heartaches, our disappointments, and our losses. Give us Your heart and let us lift you in praise and proclaim Your goodness! We ask this in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.
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