Tag: praise

Psalm 104:24-35

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment
            All of creation depends on each part in a complex ecosystem which is alive and teeming with all kinds of creatures and exuberant nature.  And all of this creation depends completely on the hand of God that formed it.  Without God, there would be no living holistic creation working together to flourish over the earth.  Humanity, along with the rest of creation, is to sing and praise the God who has made life possible by means of his powerful Spirit.
 
            This same Spirit which worked in creation, animates all creatures, and has left the imprint of God’s likeness on humans, is the very same Spirit which came upon the little band of believers at Pentecost, as well as being the very same Spirit which is given to you and me as followers of Jesus.  Just as we are to listen to the voice of creation praise God; just as we are to listen to the ancient voices of Holy Scripture lift up the name of Jesus; we are to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit of God filling us, guiding us, and empowering us for love and service in the name of Jesus Christ.
 
            In our fast paced society of fast food, fast cars, fast service, and fast everything, there is something profoundly spiritual about slowing down in order to listen to God’s Spirit speaking.  Today when you eat your meals, take the time to chew slowly, thanking God in a rhythm of praise which is connected to the gratitude of each bite.  Carve out some time to walk the dog, and do it slowly, listening to the sounds of creation around you.  Hear it all giving praise and adoration to the God who is pleased to fill creation with his glory.  For, if we do not hear God speaking it is because we are not listening.
 

 

            Mighty God, I join with all creation to sing your praises and give adoration to the Name of Jesus, who loved me and gave himself for me through the power of your Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Psalm 97

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment


             In the wake of Ascension Day we are to be overwhelmed with the tremendous majesty of King Jesus.  Today’s psalm portrays the Lord as a very big God whose presence alone impacts the world in cataclysmic glory. God is large and in charge.  Nothing moves God; but God moves mountains.  This is no wimpy deity who needs his creatures to sustain him and his memory.  But all God’s creation is dependent upon him for life, sustenance, and flourishing.
             It is such a view of God that deeply impacts humanity.  When people catch just a glimpse of God’s glory it causes pagans to be ashamed of their useless idol worship, and brings forth humble celebration from the penitent.  The sheer dearth of these dual responses to God in today’s Western world ought to clue us to the reality that we are not seeing God for who he really is:  the great and glorious king who is so immense and so concerned for justice that just a snort of his nostrils could lay complete waste to the earth.
The conclusion to the matter is to “Love the LORD and hate evil!….  You are the LORD’s people!  So celebrate and praise the only God.”  Today is a day to make a simple choice to celebrate and praise God in some simple ways:  
Ø  Acknowledge Him in both the big and in the small things of life;
Ø  Include God’s message of grace in your everyday conversations – we don’t have to be preachy, just real;
Ø  Praise Him in public as well as in private;
Ø  Pray simple heartfelt prayers to Him whether it is eloquent or not because He just wants to hear the voice He has given us;
Ø  Be generous toward others through forgiveness and actual physical help;
Ø  Study His word because it honors Him to do so;
Ø  Express gratitude with a predetermined mindset to find things that God has put in your life to be thankful for;
Ø  Count your blessings today and again tomorrow so that it eventually becomes a spiritual habit; and,
Ø  Sing with the joyful noise God gives you.
Mighty God, you are worthy of all the praise, honor, and glory I can give you.  May my life be a simple offering to you, so that your kingdom comes not only in my own life but impacts the lives of others; through Jesus, my King.  Amen.

Psalm 148

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment
            Praise to the Lord is the recognition that God deserves praise from everyone, and the way to do that is to bow, yield, and submit to him.  “Praise the Lord” is the Hebrew word “hallelujah.”  Hallelujah literally means “to raise the hands.”
 
            We are told ten times in fourteen verses of Psalm 148 to praise the Lord, to raise our hands.  It is a symbol of submission and joy.  To have open hands lifted toward heaven is to convey to God that we will obey him and live for him in everything.  Praising the Lord, lifting the hands, is not only to occur in church; praising the Lord is to happen everywhere.  We are to lift our arms in reverent submission at our workplaces when we land a client or have a good day, as well as when we are overwhelmed and cranky people demean us.  It is always open season on praising the Lord, and it is not limited to a certain set of good circumstances.
 
            We are to raise our hands and praise the Lord when our neighbors care about us and look out for us, as well as when they make noise and irritate us with their less than kept up yards and houses.  Yielding to God’s purposes for our lives is not dependent upon whether we have good neighbors or not.  We are to praise the Lord and raise our hands when our marriages are life-giving and thriving, as well as when our relationship with our spouse is dry, dull, and going nowhere.  It is always open season on praising the Lord and reflecting his image through love.  We are to praise the Lord over our kids, not only when they do what is right but we are to raise our hands with hallelujah when they are complete stinkers and drive us nuts.  We are to use our hands to praise and enact obedience, not refuse to praise and use them for violence through finger pointing, fist pumping, and even hitting.  Let both our mouths and hands work in concert together to praise the Lord!
 

 

            Praise the Lord!  Praise Father, Son, and Spirit!  Today I join with all creation to praise the name of Jesus.  His name alone is exalted.  He has raised me to new life.  Thank you, gracious Lord Jesus.  May you be lifted high today in and through my life.  Amen.

Psalm 105:1-42

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment
            There are days when we all get up on the wrong side of the bed.  And there are days when we arise feeling refreshed and ready to seize the day.  Then there are most days – we are neither energized nor grumpy but “meh.”  Just as the necessity of a decent breakfast is important to get a good start to the day, so beginning the day with some good spiritual food is a must to fortify our lives and set them on a solid trajectory for success.  We cannot simply rely on feeding upon God when we feel like it, for then we will succumb to all the vicissitudes and variegations of life, becoming slaves to our own emotions. 
 
            One way of taking charge of our spiritual lives is beginning the day with the psalmist.  Psalm 105 calls us to give thanks to God; call upon his name; make known his deeds; sing to him; glory in his name; seek him; and remember his wondrous works.  As we orient our minds and hearts from sleep to work, we are to cultivate and tend to our spiritual selves like a garden that needs attention lest the weeds take over.
 
            God keeps his promises to his people.  As we recall and remember those promises, and realize that God remembers us, we can allow praise, singing, and thanksgiving to arise along with our bodies.  Perhaps before even getting out of bed in the morning, we can reach over, grab our Bible, tablet, or smartphone and read these words of Psalm 105 so that our day is formed around the positive promises of God and not the negative thoughts of our minds.  And at night, the same ritual could be done before falling asleep so that our day is bookended with remembering God’s works.  For the Bible is not simply some old book to adore from afar, but a living word from God to shape our minds and form our hearts.
 

God Almighty, you have remembered your people throughout the millennia with wondrous works and powerful deeds.  Today I give thanks to you for giving me your Son, the Lord Jesus, and accomplishing the mightiest work of all:  securing my deliverance from sin, death, and hell.  May the Name of Jesus be praised!  Amen