Praise

Winter in Sakhalin, Russia. Photo by Denis Sergeev

I will praise you for all that You've done

I will praise You for giving Your Son

And in this life that You gave

Every morning I'll wake 

With a song of Your love in my heart.

And in this life that You gave
Every morning I'll wake 
With a song of Your love in my heart.
©zernahfaith2018


I found myself humming this song as I was preparing breakfast a few days after 2018 set in. My kids were waiting expectantly for their food as they sat around the dining table . I sang the song again, almost without thinking, as if I have known it by heart for years. When I realized that I was singing a new song, I took notes in my mind of the words and liked it right away.

I hurried through my task, giving each child their choice of breakfast. One wanted egg and rice, his choice everyday. The oldest two girls wanted sandwiches, with blobs of ketchup in between. The youngest wanted cereal, porridge and a sandwich. I gave her only one of the three that she requested. That was fine with her. She is amiable most of the time.

Done with taking care of my children's breakfast, I ran to my guitar right away and strum through the song. The children listened as they ate. I sang it a couple more times, until the littlest one chimed in, "Okay, Mom, quiet time!" I smiled at that and obediently went back to getting my own breakfast.

Goodness and Beauty

As I munched through my food, I  wonder how amazing that God fills the mouths of His people with praise. But we all know that everything that comes out of the mouth is a spill over of what's in the heart. Not that my heart has always been filled with things that are praise-worthy. Actually, I was unaware, bordering on being indifferent until God took me through a journey of His goodness and beauty.

I recorded many of it in my blog The Road Home. I didn't know then that as I walk with Him, following where He leads, He would, not only bring me Home to Him, but also open the eyes of my heart to His goodness and the beauty around that only originates from Him.

You see, I have myopic eyes. Through the years, it was so easy to see what's imperfect and ugly. And it was hard to focus on what's good and beautiful.

It was almost close to impossible as I see things through sin-tainted eyes. I can mention so many things to convince you of the impossibility, but I won't. Besides, I worship the 'God-of-the-possible'. I purposely (and God made it possible in His many awesome ways), turned my eyes, my thoughts, my heart in knowing Him, and Oh! How good He is! I had the most adventurous and wonderful time. I stand in awe before Him.

God led me to His Word. In every circumstance I found myself in, I had His Word to guide, to convict and move me on. The Bible has only one theme, Jesus. His beauty shines through the pages. I cannot help but pray Moses' prayer, "Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us..." (Psalm 90:17). And I long more than anything for Him to work in me.

As I keep looking in His Word and in the world He has created, I find beauty in my circumstances, in my life, in what's around me, where I am and what I am doing. And every time I do, my gaze keeps coming back to Him. Before long, my heart was bursting with praise. I just had to employ my tongue in joining in the fun.

Praise

It's not natural for us to give praise. Our fallen nature doesn't allow us so. 

Right after our first parents had fallen into sin, there was only blame on their lips and shame on their hearts. Oh, how hard it must have been to give praise when they knew they had exchanged a life in Paradise to what each of us have now--- a sin-crippled body and a sin-plagued world. 

But they have a reason to praise: God promised a Savior. Jesus came and we have the MORE reason to praise. In Him, we become heirs of God's Kingdom.

In praise, we establish Him as King of our lives. We confirm the truth of who He is and who we are in Him. We are His children.

It's not easy to praise Him when our hearts are not conditioned and our circumstances do not allow us any opportunity to do so. Or maybe you don't see yourself as His child, and God as a loving Father. Ask Him today to show you who He is. He promised: "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13).

Today, I want you to reflect with me in who God is in your life. Know that His love for you is greater than any sin. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Romans 8:1).

I hope you'll join me as I seek to praise Him "in ALL circumstances" (1 Thess. 5:18).