There are few things that bring greater energy and strength to our souls than the exercise of lifting praise and thanksgiving from our hearts to God’s. Gratitude has a uniquely wonderful way of lifting us out of the smog of a life that is preoccupied with the shallow and short-lived resources of ourselves.
So here it goes . . . let your heart resonate with the ancients who knew the secret of thanksgiving!
“Day and night I’ll stick with God; I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go. I’m happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed. You canceled my ticket to hell—that’s not my destination! Now You’ve got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since You took my hand, I’m on the right way” (Psalm 16:8-11, The Message).
“I’m still in Your presence, but You’ve taken my hand. You wisely and tenderly lead me, and then You bless me. You’re all I want in heaven! You’re all I want on earth! When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, God is rock-firm and faithful. . . . But I’m in the very presence of God—oh, how refreshing it is! I’ve made the Lord God my home. God, I’m telling the world what You do!” (Psalm 73:23-26, 28, The Message).
“I lift You high in praise, my God, O my King! and I'll bless Your name into eternity. I'll bless You every day, and keep it up from now to eternity. God is magnificent; He can never be praised enough. There are no boundaries to His greatness. Generation after generation stands in awe of Your work; each one tells stories of Your mighty acts. Your beauty and splendor have everyone talking; I compose songs on Your wonders. Your marvelous doings are headline news; I could write a book full of the details of Your greatness. The fame of Your goodness spreads across the country; Your righteousness is on everyone's lips. God is all mercy and grace—not quick to anger, is rich in love. God is good to one and all; everything He does is suffused with grace. Creation and creatures applaud You, God; Your holy people bless You. They talk about the glories of Your rule, they exclaim over Your splendor, letting the world know of Your power for good, the lavish splendor of Your kingdom. Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal; You never get voted out of office. God always does what He says, and is gracious in everything He does. God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit. All eyes are on You, expectant; You give them their meals on time. Generous to a fault, You lavish your favor on all creatures. Everything God does is right—the trademark on all His works is love. God's there, listening for all who pray, for all who pray and mean it. He does what's best for those who fear him—hears them call out, and saves them. God sticks by all who love Him, but it's all over for those who don't. My mouth is filled with God's praise. Let everything living bless Him, bless His holy name from now to eternity!” (Psalm 145, The Message).
“And now to Him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in His bright presence, fresh and celebrating—to our one God, our only Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Master, be glory, majesty, strength, and rule before all time, and now, and to the end of all time” (Jude 24-25, The Message).
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Work: A Narcotic
Posted on October 6th, 2009
A friend told me that he feels closest to God when he’s the busiest. He explained that when demands are the greatest, he finds himself most reliant on the Lord’s strength. He pointed out, however, that unless he takes time for daily worship, his work can quickly become an escape.
Many people engage in activity for activity’s sake and use busyness as a device to avoid facing reality. Just as alcohol can deaden the senses to personal relationships, family obligations, and community responsibilities, so also constant work can be a narcotic. It dulls our sensitivity to the deeper issues of life.
About three thousand years ago, the author of Ecclesiastes discovered this. He sought satisfaction by busying himself with building houses and planting vineyards. But then as he thought about the work he had done, he realized it was full of emptiness (2:10-11).
We can make the same mistake, even in the name of the Lord. Could this be the reason some of us try to keep the church running by our own efforts but forget that fulfillment comes only from hearts full of God? Are we laboring without those vital times of worship and reflection? If so, it’s time now to worship before we get caught again in the trap of working merely for work’s sake.
— Mart De Haan,
A friend told me that he feels closest to God when he’s the busiest. He explained that when demands are the greatest, he finds himself most reliant on the Lord’s strength. He pointed out, however, that unless he takes time for daily worship, his work can quickly become an escape.
Many people engage in activity for activity’s sake and use busyness as a device to avoid facing reality. Just as alcohol can deaden the senses to personal relationships, family obligations, and community responsibilities, so also constant work can be a narcotic. It dulls our sensitivity to the deeper issues of life.
About three thousand years ago, the author of Ecclesiastes discovered this. He sought satisfaction by busying himself with building houses and planting vineyards. But then as he thought about the work he had done, he realized it was full of emptiness (2:10-11).
We can make the same mistake, even in the name of the Lord. Could this be the reason some of us try to keep the church running by our own efforts but forget that fulfillment comes only from hearts full of God? Are we laboring without those vital times of worship and reflection? If so, it’s time now to worship before we get caught again in the trap of working merely for work’s sake.
— Mart De Haan,
Gladly!
Posted on October 19th, 2009
Psalm 100 is one of the great songs of thanksgiving in the Bible. It calls us to realize that we belong to God our Maker (vv. 3-4), and to praise Him for His goodness, mercy, and truth (v. 5).
During a recent reading, however, I was struck by a phrase that speaks of expressing thanks in a tangible, willing way: “Serve the Lord with gladness” (v. 2). Many times my service to God is more grudging than glad. I do what I consider my duty, but I’m not happy about it.
Oswald Chambers put his finger on my unthankful attitude when he said: “The will of God is the gladdest, brightest, most bountiful thing possible to conceive, and yet some of us talk of the will of God with a terrific sigh—‘Oh well, I suppose it is the will of God,’ as if His will were the most calamitous thing that could befall us . . . We become spiritual whiners and talk pathetically about ‘suffering the will of the Lord.’ Where is the majestic vitality and might of the Son of God about that!”
True thankfulness is more than being grateful for what we possess. It’s an attitude that permeates our relationship with the Lord so that we may serve Him with gladness and joy.
— David C. McCasland,
Psalm 100 is one of the great songs of thanksgiving in the Bible. It calls us to realize that we belong to God our Maker (vv. 3-4), and to praise Him for His goodness, mercy, and truth (v. 5).
During a recent reading, however, I was struck by a phrase that speaks of expressing thanks in a tangible, willing way: “Serve the Lord with gladness” (v. 2). Many times my service to God is more grudging than glad. I do what I consider my duty, but I’m not happy about it.
Oswald Chambers put his finger on my unthankful attitude when he said: “The will of God is the gladdest, brightest, most bountiful thing possible to conceive, and yet some of us talk of the will of God with a terrific sigh—‘Oh well, I suppose it is the will of God,’ as if His will were the most calamitous thing that could befall us . . . We become spiritual whiners and talk pathetically about ‘suffering the will of the Lord.’ Where is the majestic vitality and might of the Son of God about that!”
True thankfulness is more than being grateful for what we possess. It’s an attitude that permeates our relationship with the Lord so that we may serve Him with gladness and joy.
— David C. McCasland,
A Good Church
Posted on October 26th, 2009
A television documentary showed several types of worship services in American churches. I liked some of what I saw but was troubled by an emphasis on being entertained instead of being led in worship. The focus of many services was on having fun rather than on worshiping the Lord.
This is more than a matter of differing styles. I’ve been enriched in highly liturgical as well as in less formal services. I have also been edified in gatherings marked by spontaneity and freedom. But in all of these there was a genuine sense of worship.
The one indispensable element of a good church service is the celebration of God’s great redeeming acts in the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. These saving events were the theme of an early church hymn quoted in 1 Timothy 3:16, and they were to be central in the message Paul urged Timothy to proclaim (4:6-10).
We ought to praise God joyfully for all of His blessings, both spiritual and temporal. But we must also be good listeners to the instruction and challenges of God’s Word. This combination of the inflow of God’s Word and the outflow of worship is what makes for a good church service.
— Herbert Vander Lugt,
A television documentary showed several types of worship services in American churches. I liked some of what I saw but was troubled by an emphasis on being entertained instead of being led in worship. The focus of many services was on having fun rather than on worshiping the Lord.
This is more than a matter of differing styles. I’ve been enriched in highly liturgical as well as in less formal services. I have also been edified in gatherings marked by spontaneity and freedom. But in all of these there was a genuine sense of worship.
The one indispensable element of a good church service is the celebration of God’s great redeeming acts in the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. These saving events were the theme of an early church hymn quoted in 1 Timothy 3:16, and they were to be central in the message Paul urged Timothy to proclaim (4:6-10).
We ought to praise God joyfully for all of His blessings, both spiritual and temporal. But we must also be good listeners to the instruction and challenges of God’s Word. This combination of the inflow of God’s Word and the outflow of worship is what makes for a good church service.
— Herbert Vander Lugt,
Divine Mystery
Posted on October 26th, 2009
At one point along the Saguenay River in southeastern Canada, the water flows through a chasm between two rugged rock formations. Their pinnacles tower over 1,600 feet into the sky. Early pioneers were so awestruck by these majestic crags that they named them Trinity and Eternity.
The two great truths expressed by these words create a sense of awe in the heart of every Christian. The Bible tells us of God’s eternity—His timeless existence (Psalm 93:2), and His triune nature—the threefold expression of Himself as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).
Both of these affirmations baffle our minds. If we try to comprehend either of them, the question asked by Job’s friend comes to mind: “Can you search out the deep things of God?” (Job 11:7). The answer is obvious. When we try to behold the triune God, we feel like someone who gazes up into the midday sun to study it.
At the heart of the Christian faith is mystery, because at the heart of our faith is the eternal, triune God. We have the Father who loves us, the Savior who died for us, and the Spirit who helps us to be holy. This divine mystery gives us reason to bow down and worship our eternal God.
— Haddon W. Robinson,
At one point along the Saguenay River in southeastern Canada, the water flows through a chasm between two rugged rock formations. Their pinnacles tower over 1,600 feet into the sky. Early pioneers were so awestruck by these majestic crags that they named them Trinity and Eternity.
The two great truths expressed by these words create a sense of awe in the heart of every Christian. The Bible tells us of God’s eternity—His timeless existence (Psalm 93:2), and His triune nature—the threefold expression of Himself as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).
Both of these affirmations baffle our minds. If we try to comprehend either of them, the question asked by Job’s friend comes to mind: “Can you search out the deep things of God?” (Job 11:7). The answer is obvious. When we try to behold the triune God, we feel like someone who gazes up into the midday sun to study it.
At the heart of the Christian faith is mystery, because at the heart of our faith is the eternal, triune God. We have the Father who loves us, the Savior who died for us, and the Spirit who helps us to be holy. This divine mystery gives us reason to bow down and worship our eternal God.
— Haddon W. Robinson,
A Gift for God
Posted on October 19th, 2009
Imagine what a heavy schedule of appointments President Abraham Lincoln had to keep day after day. Yet when an elderly woman with no official business in mind asked to see him, he graciously consented.
As she entered Lincoln’s office, he rose to greet her and asked how he might be of service. She replied that she had not come to ask a favor. She had heard that the President liked a certain kind of cookie, so she had baked some for him and brought them to his office.
With tears in his eyes, Lincoln responded, “You are the very first person who has ever come into my office asking not, expecting not, but rather bringing me a gift. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
When coming into God’s presence, once in a while let’s refrain from giving Him a list of requests. Instead, let’s simply bring Him the gift of our gratitude and love. We may be sure that nothing pleases our Father more than our sincere thanksgiving.
Why not spend time offering up the sacrifice of praise, meditating on the Lord’s mercies, recalling the riches of His grace, and blessing His holy name? Today, give that gift to the Giver of all good gifts.
— Vernon C. Grounds,
Imagine what a heavy schedule of appointments President Abraham Lincoln had to keep day after day. Yet when an elderly woman with no official business in mind asked to see him, he graciously consented.
As she entered Lincoln’s office, he rose to greet her and asked how he might be of service. She replied that she had not come to ask a favor. She had heard that the President liked a certain kind of cookie, so she had baked some for him and brought them to his office.
With tears in his eyes, Lincoln responded, “You are the very first person who has ever come into my office asking not, expecting not, but rather bringing me a gift. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
When coming into God’s presence, once in a while let’s refrain from giving Him a list of requests. Instead, let’s simply bring Him the gift of our gratitude and love. We may be sure that nothing pleases our Father more than our sincere thanksgiving.
Why not spend time offering up the sacrifice of praise, meditating on the Lord’s mercies, recalling the riches of His grace, and blessing His holy name? Today, give that gift to the Giver of all good gifts.
— Vernon C. Grounds,
Scriptural Songs
Posted on October 12th, 2009
John W. Peterson, the beloved songwriter, was a master at using Scripture in his songs. When I was a teenager in the church choir, we performed his cantata Jesus Is Coming and sang these words taken from 2 Timothy 3:1: “In the last days perilous times shall come. Men shall be lovers of themselves.” Then he wrote of the grim signs that we would recognize in the last days (vv. 2-7). The steady rhythm of his music helps me remember that list even today.
While some of us have trouble memorizing verses from God’s Word, something in our brain helps us to remember words in songs. If we analyze some of our favorite Christian songs and choruses, we find that they have been derived from Scripture. Thus, we can use the memory boost of music to hide away God-breathed words in our hearts (2 Timothy 3:16). Songs such as “Open the Eyes of My Heart” (Isaiah 6:9-10; Ephesians 1:18) or favorites like “Thy Word Have I Hid in My Heart” (Psalm 119:11, 105) are taken from the Bible. With these words hidden in our memory, a song of praise comes quickly to our lips.
No matter what kind of voice you have, when you sing the words of Scripture back to God, it is sweet music to His ears.
— Cindy Hess Kasper
John W. Peterson, the beloved songwriter, was a master at using Scripture in his songs. When I was a teenager in the church choir, we performed his cantata Jesus Is Coming and sang these words taken from 2 Timothy 3:1: “In the last days perilous times shall come. Men shall be lovers of themselves.” Then he wrote of the grim signs that we would recognize in the last days (vv. 2-7). The steady rhythm of his music helps me remember that list even today.
While some of us have trouble memorizing verses from God’s Word, something in our brain helps us to remember words in songs. If we analyze some of our favorite Christian songs and choruses, we find that they have been derived from Scripture. Thus, we can use the memory boost of music to hide away God-breathed words in our hearts (2 Timothy 3:16). Songs such as “Open the Eyes of My Heart” (Isaiah 6:9-10; Ephesians 1:18) or favorites like “Thy Word Have I Hid in My Heart” (Psalm 119:11, 105) are taken from the Bible. With these words hidden in our memory, a song of praise comes quickly to our lips.
No matter what kind of voice you have, when you sing the words of Scripture back to God, it is sweet music to His ears.
— Cindy Hess Kasper
Sing!
Posted on November 2nd, 2009
Our home in Boise is next to a park where I walk most mornings. An elderly woman walks there at the same time. She walks clockwise and I walk counter-clockwise, which means that we meet twice each lap.
She has the most lovely, crinkly eyes and wrinkled face that wrinkles even more when she smiles. When she smiles, her whole face smiles!
She has Alzheimer’s.
The first time we meet she asks, “Have I sung my song?” I say, “No, ma’am.” And she sings a little song about the sun: “Good morning, Mr. Sunshine . . .” Then she smiles, raises her hands in a kind of blessing, and moves on.
So we go our separate ways—180 degrees around the circle—until we meet again. She asks, “Have I sung my song?” I say, “Sing it again!” And she does. I can’t get her delightful song out of my mind.
She has become a parable of the kind of person I want to be—making my way through the world, singing and making melody in my heart, singing of the Sun of Righteousness who has risen with healing in His wings (Malachi 4:2), leaving behind a lingering memory of His love.
May His song be on your heart and lips this day. And may many hear and put their trust in the Lord.
— David H. Roper,
Our home in Boise is next to a park where I walk most mornings. An elderly woman walks there at the same time. She walks clockwise and I walk counter-clockwise, which means that we meet twice each lap.
She has the most lovely, crinkly eyes and wrinkled face that wrinkles even more when she smiles. When she smiles, her whole face smiles!
She has Alzheimer’s.
The first time we meet she asks, “Have I sung my song?” I say, “No, ma’am.” And she sings a little song about the sun: “Good morning, Mr. Sunshine . . .” Then she smiles, raises her hands in a kind of blessing, and moves on.
So we go our separate ways—180 degrees around the circle—until we meet again. She asks, “Have I sung my song?” I say, “Sing it again!” And she does. I can’t get her delightful song out of my mind.
She has become a parable of the kind of person I want to be—making my way through the world, singing and making melody in my heart, singing of the Sun of Righteousness who has risen with healing in His wings (Malachi 4:2), leaving behind a lingering memory of His love.
May His song be on your heart and lips this day. And may many hear and put their trust in the Lord.
— David H. Roper,
The Rescue
Posted by agysen on November 2nd, 2009
The psalmist told us that God “put a new song in my mouth —praise to our God” (Psalm 40:3). The song did not come easily to him. “He . . . brought me up out of a horrible pit,” he testified, “out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps” (v. 2).
We don’t know what this “pit” was. Perhaps it was a devastating calamity or the result of a willful, ungodly choice. In either case, it was horrible. The place was unspeakably lonely, as silent as death, and he could find no solid place to put his feet. He couldn’t climb out of “the miry clay” by himself. It took God to rescue him.
A Chinese scholar who converted to Christ told this parable: “A man fell into a dark, dirty pit, and he tried to climb out but he couldn’t. Confucius came along. He saw the man in the pit and said, ‘Poor fellow. If he had listened to me, he never would have fallen in.’ And he left. Buddha came along and saw the man in the pit and said, ‘Poor fellow. If he can climb up here, I’ll help him.’ And he too left. Then Christ came and said, ‘Poor fellow!’ And He jumped into the pit and helped him out.”
God rescued the psalmist from the “pit.” And He gave him a new song to sing, which we too can sing if we’ve experienced God’s deliverance from trouble.
— Haddon W. Robinson,
The psalmist told us that God “put a new song in my mouth —praise to our God” (Psalm 40:3). The song did not come easily to him. “He . . . brought me up out of a horrible pit,” he testified, “out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps” (v. 2).
We don’t know what this “pit” was. Perhaps it was a devastating calamity or the result of a willful, ungodly choice. In either case, it was horrible. The place was unspeakably lonely, as silent as death, and he could find no solid place to put his feet. He couldn’t climb out of “the miry clay” by himself. It took God to rescue him.
A Chinese scholar who converted to Christ told this parable: “A man fell into a dark, dirty pit, and he tried to climb out but he couldn’t. Confucius came along. He saw the man in the pit and said, ‘Poor fellow. If he had listened to me, he never would have fallen in.’ And he left. Buddha came along and saw the man in the pit and said, ‘Poor fellow. If he can climb up here, I’ll help him.’ And he too left. Then Christ came and said, ‘Poor fellow!’ And He jumped into the pit and helped him out.”
God rescued the psalmist from the “pit.” And He gave him a new song to sing, which we too can sing if we’ve experienced God’s deliverance from trouble.
— Haddon W. Robinson,
Time to Praise
Posted on September 14th, 2009
It was the worst of times. In the first half of the seventeenth century, Germany was in the midst of wars and famine and pestilence. In the city of Eilenburg lived a pastor by the name of Martin Rinkart.
During one especially oppressive period, Rinkart conducted up to fifty funerals a day as a plague swept through the town and as the Thirty Years’ War wreaked its own terror on the people. Among those whom Rinkart buried were members of his own family.
Yet during those years of darkness and despair, when death and destruction greeted each new day, Pastor Rinkart wrote sixty-six sacred songs and hymns. Among them was the song “Now Thank We All Our God.” As sorrow crouched all around him, Rinkart wrote:
Now thank we all our GodWith hearts and hands and voices,Who wondrous things hath done,In whom His world rejoices;Who, from our mothers’ arms,Hath blessed us on our wayWith countless gifts of love,And still is ours today.
Rinkart demonstrated a valuable lesson for us all: Thankfulness does not have to wait for prosperity and peace. It’s always a good time to praise God for the “wondrous things” He has done.
~Dave Branon,
It was the worst of times. In the first half of the seventeenth century, Germany was in the midst of wars and famine and pestilence. In the city of Eilenburg lived a pastor by the name of Martin Rinkart.
During one especially oppressive period, Rinkart conducted up to fifty funerals a day as a plague swept through the town and as the Thirty Years’ War wreaked its own terror on the people. Among those whom Rinkart buried were members of his own family.
Yet during those years of darkness and despair, when death and destruction greeted each new day, Pastor Rinkart wrote sixty-six sacred songs and hymns. Among them was the song “Now Thank We All Our God.” As sorrow crouched all around him, Rinkart wrote:
Now thank we all our GodWith hearts and hands and voices,Who wondrous things hath done,In whom His world rejoices;Who, from our mothers’ arms,Hath blessed us on our wayWith countless gifts of love,And still is ours today.
Rinkart demonstrated a valuable lesson for us all: Thankfulness does not have to wait for prosperity and peace. It’s always a good time to praise God for the “wondrous things” He has done.
~Dave Branon,
Everyone Sings!
Posted on September 28th, 2009
Each summer I enjoy attending many of the free outdoor concerts presented in our city. During one performance by a brass band, several of the members briefly introduced themselves and told how much they enjoyed practicing and playing together.
The pleasure of sharing music in community has drawn people together for centuries. As followers of Christ, whether we are in small groups, choirs, or congregations, bringing praise to God is one of the key elements in our own expression of faith. And one day, we’ll be singing in a concert that defies imagination.
In a sweeping vision of the tumultuous events at the end of time, John records a chorus of praise that begins with a few and swells to a company beyond number. In honor of the Lamb of God, who with His blood has redeemed people from every tribe and nation (Revelation 5:9), the song begins at the throne of God, is joined by multiplied thousands of angels, and finally includes every creature in heaven, earth, and sea. Together we will sing, “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” (v.13).
What a choir! What a concert! What a privilege to start rehearsing today!
— David C. McCasland
Each summer I enjoy attending many of the free outdoor concerts presented in our city. During one performance by a brass band, several of the members briefly introduced themselves and told how much they enjoyed practicing and playing together.
The pleasure of sharing music in community has drawn people together for centuries. As followers of Christ, whether we are in small groups, choirs, or congregations, bringing praise to God is one of the key elements in our own expression of faith. And one day, we’ll be singing in a concert that defies imagination.
In a sweeping vision of the tumultuous events at the end of time, John records a chorus of praise that begins with a few and swells to a company beyond number. In honor of the Lamb of God, who with His blood has redeemed people from every tribe and nation (Revelation 5:9), the song begins at the throne of God, is joined by multiplied thousands of angels, and finally includes every creature in heaven, earth, and sea. Together we will sing, “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” (v.13).
What a choir! What a concert! What a privilege to start rehearsing today!
— David C. McCasland
Stars and Sand
Posted on September 22nd, 2009
A team led by an Australian astronomer calculated the number of stars in the known universe to be 70 sextillion—7 followed by 22 zeros. That unfathomable number is said to be more than the grains of sand in every beach and every desert on earth. The calculation was the by-product of research on the development of galaxies. One team member said, “Finding the number of stars is not really the research we were doing, but it was a nice result to play around with.”
Having an estimate of the number of stars can help us praise God with greater awe and wonder. Psalm 147 says: “It is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful. . . . He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite” (vv.1, 4-5).
This psalm not only presents God’s majesty, but it also affirms His personal concern for each of us. He “heals the brokenhearted” (v. 3), “lifts up the humble” (v. 6), and “takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy” (v. 11).
Let’s praise the great God of stars and sand who knows and cares for each one of us.
— David C. McCasland
A team led by an Australian astronomer calculated the number of stars in the known universe to be 70 sextillion—7 followed by 22 zeros. That unfathomable number is said to be more than the grains of sand in every beach and every desert on earth. The calculation was the by-product of research on the development of galaxies. One team member said, “Finding the number of stars is not really the research we were doing, but it was a nice result to play around with.”
Having an estimate of the number of stars can help us praise God with greater awe and wonder. Psalm 147 says: “It is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful. . . . He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite” (vv.1, 4-5).
This psalm not only presents God’s majesty, but it also affirms His personal concern for each of us. He “heals the brokenhearted” (v. 3), “lifts up the humble” (v. 6), and “takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy” (v. 11).
Let’s praise the great God of stars and sand who knows and cares for each one of us.
— David C. McCasland
Prelude of Praise
Posted on September 21st, 2009
We enter a concert hall, find our seats, and listen with anticipation as the members of the orchestra tune their instruments. The sound is discordant, not melodic. But the tuning is simply a prelude to the symphony.
C. S. Lewis suggested that’s how it is with our devotional practices and even our worship services. Sometimes they sound discordant, but God hears our prayers and praises with fatherly delight. We are really preparing for participation in the glorious symphony of heaven. Now we are making a minuscule contribution to the harmonies of angelic and redeemed hosts. But our adoration, though feeble, pleases the heart of the Divine Listener more than the finest rendition of earth’s greatest orchestra.
Are we eagerly awaiting our participation in heaven’s symphony of praise? Are we joyfully participating in the adoration that delights the heart of God? Or do we regard devotion as more of a discipline than a delight?
Our attitudes will be transformed when we realize that praise delights God’s heart. Praise helps us to tune our lives to heavenly harmonies.
Praise is an indispensable preparation for the worship that will be our eternal joy. “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:6).
— Vernon C. Grounds
We enter a concert hall, find our seats, and listen with anticipation as the members of the orchestra tune their instruments. The sound is discordant, not melodic. But the tuning is simply a prelude to the symphony.
C. S. Lewis suggested that’s how it is with our devotional practices and even our worship services. Sometimes they sound discordant, but God hears our prayers and praises with fatherly delight. We are really preparing for participation in the glorious symphony of heaven. Now we are making a minuscule contribution to the harmonies of angelic and redeemed hosts. But our adoration, though feeble, pleases the heart of the Divine Listener more than the finest rendition of earth’s greatest orchestra.
Are we eagerly awaiting our participation in heaven’s symphony of praise? Are we joyfully participating in the adoration that delights the heart of God? Or do we regard devotion as more of a discipline than a delight?
Our attitudes will be transformed when we realize that praise delights God’s heart. Praise helps us to tune our lives to heavenly harmonies.
Praise is an indispensable preparation for the worship that will be our eternal joy. “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:6).
— Vernon C. Grounds
God Is Great, God Is Good
Posted on September 21st, 2009
When we were children, my brother and I recited this prayer every night before supper: “God is great, God is good. Let us thank Him for this food.” For years I spoke the words of this prayer without stopping to consider what life would be like if it were not true—if God were not both great and good.
Without His greatness maintaining order in the universe, the galaxies would be a junkyard of banged-up stars and planets. And without His goodness saying “enough” to every evil despot, the earth would be a playground ruled by the biggest bully.
That simple childhood prayer celebrates two profound attributes of God: His transcendence and His immanence. Transcendence means that His greatness is beyond our comprehension. Immanence describes His nearness to us. The greatness of the almighty God sends us to our knees in humility. But the goodness of God lifts us back to our feet in grateful, jubilant praise. The One who is above everything humbled Himself and became one of us (Psalm 135:5; Philippians 2:8).
Thank God that He uses His greatness not to destroy us but to save us, and that He uses His goodness not as a reason to reject us but as a way to reach us.
— Julie Ackerman Link,
When we were children, my brother and I recited this prayer every night before supper: “God is great, God is good. Let us thank Him for this food.” For years I spoke the words of this prayer without stopping to consider what life would be like if it were not true—if God were not both great and good.
Without His greatness maintaining order in the universe, the galaxies would be a junkyard of banged-up stars and planets. And without His goodness saying “enough” to every evil despot, the earth would be a playground ruled by the biggest bully.
That simple childhood prayer celebrates two profound attributes of God: His transcendence and His immanence. Transcendence means that His greatness is beyond our comprehension. Immanence describes His nearness to us. The greatness of the almighty God sends us to our knees in humility. But the goodness of God lifts us back to our feet in grateful, jubilant praise. The One who is above everything humbled Himself and became one of us (Psalm 135:5; Philippians 2:8).
Thank God that He uses His greatness not to destroy us but to save us, and that He uses His goodness not as a reason to reject us but as a way to reach us.
— Julie Ackerman Link,
Things Above
Posted on September 8th, 2009
Stepping outside and gazing heavenward on a star-studded evening always helps to soothe my soul after a trouble-filled day. When I peer into the night sky, I forget, at least for a moment, the cares of life on earth.
Ancient Israel’s prolific songwriter wrote a poem thousands of years ago that still rings true: “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” (Psalm 8:3-4).
When we try to imagine the immensity of God’s heavens, our problems indeed seem trivial. Yet God doesn’t think so! With all the galaxies He has to attend to, God is mindful of us. And not only are we on His mind, He cares for us.
No wonder the apostle Paul advised new believers to set their minds on things above (Colossians 3:2). In doing so, we raise our thoughts above the level of earthly disputes and focus instead on our loving, heavenly Father, who wants us to know Him, to know how to live peacefully with one another, and to know that we can live eternally with Him in a place even more beautiful than the heavens.
“The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1). Let’s join creation in praise to Him.
— Julie Ackerman Link
Stepping outside and gazing heavenward on a star-studded evening always helps to soothe my soul after a trouble-filled day. When I peer into the night sky, I forget, at least for a moment, the cares of life on earth.
Ancient Israel’s prolific songwriter wrote a poem thousands of years ago that still rings true: “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” (Psalm 8:3-4).
When we try to imagine the immensity of God’s heavens, our problems indeed seem trivial. Yet God doesn’t think so! With all the galaxies He has to attend to, God is mindful of us. And not only are we on His mind, He cares for us.
No wonder the apostle Paul advised new believers to set their minds on things above (Colossians 3:2). In doing so, we raise our thoughts above the level of earthly disputes and focus instead on our loving, heavenly Father, who wants us to know Him, to know how to live peacefully with one another, and to know that we can live eternally with Him in a place even more beautiful than the heavens.
“The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1). Let’s join creation in praise to Him.
— Julie Ackerman Link
Prayer, Work, and Praise
Posted on September 14th, 2009
A twelve-year-old Haitian girl’s feet were so deformed that she was actually walking on her ankles. She asked some missionaries if they could help her, but the girl’s father, who looked to a voodoo priest for advice, refused to let the doctors operate.
So the missionaries began to pray fervently that God would intervene. After two days, the father returned with his daughter and gave them permission for the surgery. Just before the operation, the youngster pointed to her heart and said, “I’m not afraid, because I put Jesus right here.” The operation was successful, and all who knew about this situation are praising the Lord for His answer to prayer.
We see a similar order of events in Ezra 8. The Israelites had to transport a large quantity of gold and silver to Jerusalem. This made them vulnerable to raids by outlaw gangs along the way. So the people fasted and prayed until they received assurance of God’s protection. Then, after taking every precaution, they set out on their journey. Arriving safely in Jerusalem, they offered sacrifices of thanksgiving to the Lord.
Prayer, work, and praise–it’s a God-honoring combination.
— Herbert Vander Lugt,
A twelve-year-old Haitian girl’s feet were so deformed that she was actually walking on her ankles. She asked some missionaries if they could help her, but the girl’s father, who looked to a voodoo priest for advice, refused to let the doctors operate.
So the missionaries began to pray fervently that God would intervene. After two days, the father returned with his daughter and gave them permission for the surgery. Just before the operation, the youngster pointed to her heart and said, “I’m not afraid, because I put Jesus right here.” The operation was successful, and all who knew about this situation are praising the Lord for His answer to prayer.
We see a similar order of events in Ezra 8. The Israelites had to transport a large quantity of gold and silver to Jerusalem. This made them vulnerable to raids by outlaw gangs along the way. So the people fasted and prayed until they received assurance of God’s protection. Then, after taking every precaution, they set out on their journey. Arriving safely in Jerusalem, they offered sacrifices of thanksgiving to the Lord.
Prayer, work, and praise–it’s a God-honoring combination.
— Herbert Vander Lugt,
Prayer-Meeting Blues
Posted on September 22nd, 2009
Prayer meetings can get you down. No matter how much you look forward to gathering with friends to pray, the requests can be disheartening. A missionary is having health problems. A child has cancer. A couple from your Sunday school class is getting a divorce. The missionary appointee is having difficulty raising financial support. And you have struggles of your own. The more requests you hear, the more weary you grow.
But then a mighty prayer warrior begins to pray. With confidence, he thanks God for His absolute control over all things. With tears, he pleads with God to work in the lives of those for whom prayer is requested. With honesty, he acknowledges that we don’t always understand what God is doing. Like the psalmist, he turns a time of complaining over man’s problems into a time of praising God for His listening ear. Prayer turns to praise because one saint believes that the Lord hears “the prayer of the destitute, and shall not despise their prayer” (Psalm 102:17).
Are you struggling with difficulties in your own life or the overwhelming problems of dear friends and loved ones? Learn to hand them over to the everlasting God. That’s how to drive away those prayer-meeting blues.
— Dave Branon,
Prayer meetings can get you down. No matter how much you look forward to gathering with friends to pray, the requests can be disheartening. A missionary is having health problems. A child has cancer. A couple from your Sunday school class is getting a divorce. The missionary appointee is having difficulty raising financial support. And you have struggles of your own. The more requests you hear, the more weary you grow.
But then a mighty prayer warrior begins to pray. With confidence, he thanks God for His absolute control over all things. With tears, he pleads with God to work in the lives of those for whom prayer is requested. With honesty, he acknowledges that we don’t always understand what God is doing. Like the psalmist, he turns a time of complaining over man’s problems into a time of praising God for His listening ear. Prayer turns to praise because one saint believes that the Lord hears “the prayer of the destitute, and shall not despise their prayer” (Psalm 102:17).
Are you struggling with difficulties in your own life or the overwhelming problems of dear friends and loved ones? Learn to hand them over to the everlasting God. That’s how to drive away those prayer-meeting blues.
— Dave Branon,
The Music of Joy
Posted on September 28th, 2009
God had made them rejoice with great joy . . . , so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.
—Nehemiah 12:43
Several years ago, during a Christian men’s conference in Boulder, Colorado, I stood with 50,000 men as we sang “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.” The volume of the singing was incredible in the football stadium, and I’ve often wondered how it sounded outside. Could people hear it as they walked through a nearby park, sat on their patios, or drove by in cars? What impression did it leave with them?
That great sound of praise reminded me of what is described in Nehemiah 12:27-43. The book of Nehemiah begins with a confession, continues with a construction project, and ends with a concert. The entire story is a study in God’s faithfulness and power.
After years of hard work despite opposition, the wall of Jerusalem was rebuilt. At the dedication, two “thanksgiving choirs” stood on the wall to praise God. We are told that “the singers sang loudly . . . God had made them rejoice with great joy . . . , so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off” (Nehemiah 12:42-43).
Joy cannot be contained. It must break out in praise to God through songs of thanksgiving. Whether those who hear our outpouring of joy understand it or not, it will resound as a chorus that cannot be ignored—the music of lives lived out in praise to God.
— David C. McCasland
God had made them rejoice with great joy . . . , so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.
—Nehemiah 12:43
Several years ago, during a Christian men’s conference in Boulder, Colorado, I stood with 50,000 men as we sang “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.” The volume of the singing was incredible in the football stadium, and I’ve often wondered how it sounded outside. Could people hear it as they walked through a nearby park, sat on their patios, or drove by in cars? What impression did it leave with them?
That great sound of praise reminded me of what is described in Nehemiah 12:27-43. The book of Nehemiah begins with a confession, continues with a construction project, and ends with a concert. The entire story is a study in God’s faithfulness and power.
After years of hard work despite opposition, the wall of Jerusalem was rebuilt. At the dedication, two “thanksgiving choirs” stood on the wall to praise God. We are told that “the singers sang loudly . . . God had made them rejoice with great joy . . . , so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off” (Nehemiah 12:42-43).
Joy cannot be contained. It must break out in praise to God through songs of thanksgiving. Whether those who hear our outpouring of joy understand it or not, it will resound as a chorus that cannot be ignored—the music of lives lived out in praise to God.
— David C. McCasland
From Awe to Adoration
Posted on September 3rd, 2009
What’s the greatest activity we can spend time doing? Worshiping God! Worship is not repeating hasty, routine petitions or listening to mood-inducing music. Worship is the experience of being “lost in wonder, love, and praise,” as Charles Wesley wrote. It’s awe that inspires adoration.
My first sight of the Grand Canyon left me speechless. The friend who had driven me there appreciated my reaction and stood silent beside me. I gazed in awe at this magnificent spectacle and thought, This is a glimpse of God’s majesty. But my awe, by itself, was not worship.
My reaction is different when I come face to face with Jesus in the Scriptures. Awe changes into adoration as I behold Him in all His beauty. What grips my soul? His unsullied purity: “Which of you convicts Me of sin?” (John 8:46). His unrivaled wisdom: “No man ever spoke like this Man!” (John 7:46). His unbounded pity: “When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion” (Matthew 9:36). And His overwhelming majesty: “He was transfigured before them” (Matthew 17:2).
As I see Jesus in the Gospels, my awe changes to adoration. I bow in worship and exclaim with Thomas: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).
— Vernon C. Grounds
What’s the greatest activity we can spend time doing? Worshiping God! Worship is not repeating hasty, routine petitions or listening to mood-inducing music. Worship is the experience of being “lost in wonder, love, and praise,” as Charles Wesley wrote. It’s awe that inspires adoration.
My first sight of the Grand Canyon left me speechless. The friend who had driven me there appreciated my reaction and stood silent beside me. I gazed in awe at this magnificent spectacle and thought, This is a glimpse of God’s majesty. But my awe, by itself, was not worship.
My reaction is different when I come face to face with Jesus in the Scriptures. Awe changes into adoration as I behold Him in all His beauty. What grips my soul? His unsullied purity: “Which of you convicts Me of sin?” (John 8:46). His unrivaled wisdom: “No man ever spoke like this Man!” (John 7:46). His unbounded pity: “When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion” (Matthew 9:36). And His overwhelming majesty: “He was transfigured before them” (Matthew 17:2).
As I see Jesus in the Gospels, my awe changes to adoration. I bow in worship and exclaim with Thomas: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).
— Vernon C. Grounds
Sounds of Silence
Posted on May 28th, 2009
During a Sunday morning worship service, I was intrigued to see the interpreter for the deaf continue to sign during an instrumental piano offertory. After the service I asked her what she was saying during that time when no words were being spoken or sung. She said that she had signed the words to the hymn being played, and also answered questions her “audience” asked about the pianist, her style, and her training.
“Instrumental music can be a blank place in worship for the deaf,” she told me. Instead of taking a break or enjoying it alone, she thought of those who couldn’t hear and kept the worship service unbroken for them.
That experience broadened my understanding of Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” As we allow God’s Word to fill our hearts and have free rein in our lives, we can share it with others through words of instruction, encouragement, and praise to the Lord. Imagine the impact it could have in our homes, in private conversations, and in worship together.
As you encourage others by sharing God’s Word from your heart, it will be music to their ears.
— David C. McCasland
During a Sunday morning worship service, I was intrigued to see the interpreter for the deaf continue to sign during an instrumental piano offertory. After the service I asked her what she was saying during that time when no words were being spoken or sung. She said that she had signed the words to the hymn being played, and also answered questions her “audience” asked about the pianist, her style, and her training.
“Instrumental music can be a blank place in worship for the deaf,” she told me. Instead of taking a break or enjoying it alone, she thought of those who couldn’t hear and kept the worship service unbroken for them.
That experience broadened my understanding of Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” As we allow God’s Word to fill our hearts and have free rein in our lives, we can share it with others through words of instruction, encouragement, and praise to the Lord. Imagine the impact it could have in our homes, in private conversations, and in worship together.
As you encourage others by sharing God’s Word from your heart, it will be music to their ears.
— David C. McCasland
A Selah Moment
Posted on May 28th, 2009
King David proclaimed: “The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory” (Psalm 24:10). The word Selah was later added to the end of this psalm and many others. Some believe it refers to an instrumental interlude because the psalms were often set to music. Biblical scholars also suggest other possible meanings, including “silence,” “pause,” “interruption,” “accentuate,” “exalt,” or “end.”
Reflecting on these words can help us to take a “Selah moment” to pause and worship God during the day.
Be silent and listen to the voice of God (Psalm 46:10).
Pause from a hectic schedule to be refreshed in spirit (Psalm 42:1-2).
Interrupt the day to do a spiritual inventory and be cleansed (Psalm 51:1-10).
Accentuate the joy of God’s provision through thanksgiving (Psalm 65:9-13).
Exalt the name of God for answered prayer in spite of disappointment (Psalm 40:1-3).
End the day by reflecting on the Lord’s faithfulness (Psalm 119:148).
David’s reflection on God included a Selah moment. Following his example will help us worship our God throughout the day.
— Dennis Fisher
King David proclaimed: “The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory” (Psalm 24:10). The word Selah was later added to the end of this psalm and many others. Some believe it refers to an instrumental interlude because the psalms were often set to music. Biblical scholars also suggest other possible meanings, including “silence,” “pause,” “interruption,” “accentuate,” “exalt,” or “end.”
Reflecting on these words can help us to take a “Selah moment” to pause and worship God during the day.
Be silent and listen to the voice of God (Psalm 46:10).
Pause from a hectic schedule to be refreshed in spirit (Psalm 42:1-2).
Interrupt the day to do a spiritual inventory and be cleansed (Psalm 51:1-10).
Accentuate the joy of God’s provision through thanksgiving (Psalm 65:9-13).
Exalt the name of God for answered prayer in spite of disappointment (Psalm 40:1-3).
End the day by reflecting on the Lord’s faithfulness (Psalm 119:148).
David’s reflection on God included a Selah moment. Following his example will help us worship our God throughout the day.
— Dennis Fisher
Joshua’s Challenge
Posted on May 28th, 2009
Call it the Showdown at Shechem. Joshua gathered the people of Israel at this town so he could give them the challenge of their lives.
Aware of their interest in the history of their forefathers, Joshua began with a dramatic recounting of things past. He told how God had spared them from Terah’s homeland to Jericho.
As Joshua talked, the people must have relived in their minds the exciting stories they had heard from their grandparents–the plagues in Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, and all the battles with surrounding enemies.
But more humbling than all those instances of God’s intervention must have been the reminder that despite God’s goodness, the people were still worshiping the false gods of their forefathers.
Joshua’s challenge to the Israelites was not about the past. It was about the future. He challenged them to worship only the one true God. Because “He is a jealous God” (Joshua 24:19), the Lord will not tolerate worship of any other.
We too have seen God work–both miraculously in giving us eternal life, and more routinely in His daily care. So in gratitude to the Lord, let’s cast aside our “false gods”–anything that competes with our devotion to Him–and incline our heart toward the only true God.
— Dave Branon
Call it the Showdown at Shechem. Joshua gathered the people of Israel at this town so he could give them the challenge of their lives.
Aware of their interest in the history of their forefathers, Joshua began with a dramatic recounting of things past. He told how God had spared them from Terah’s homeland to Jericho.
As Joshua talked, the people must have relived in their minds the exciting stories they had heard from their grandparents–the plagues in Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, and all the battles with surrounding enemies.
But more humbling than all those instances of God’s intervention must have been the reminder that despite God’s goodness, the people were still worshiping the false gods of their forefathers.
Joshua’s challenge to the Israelites was not about the past. It was about the future. He challenged them to worship only the one true God. Because “He is a jealous God” (Joshua 24:19), the Lord will not tolerate worship of any other.
We too have seen God work–both miraculously in giving us eternal life, and more routinely in His daily care. So in gratitude to the Lord, let’s cast aside our “false gods”–anything that competes with our devotion to Him–and incline our heart toward the only true God.
— Dave Branon
Irreverence
Posted on May 28th, 2009
King Herod, dressed in his royal apparel, delivered an oration to an audience eager to win his favor. He reveled in their flattering response. “[This is] the voice of a god and not of a man!” shouted the crowd (Acts 12:22). Fear and awe of the one true God should have led him to protest, but he didn’t. For his failure to “give glory to God,” he was immediately struck by an angel of the Lord. He suffered an excruciating death because of his lack of reverence for God.
Paul and Barnabas, on the other hand, had such a great reverence for God that they nearly panicked at the thought of being worshiped (Acts 14:14-15). Upon seeing the apostle Paul miraculously heal a man who had been crippled from birth, the onlookers shouted, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” Then they prepared to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas (vv.11-13). When the apostles heard this, they “tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out, . . . ‘Why are you doing these things?’” (vv.14-15).
In these contrasting biblical accounts, we see a solemn call to give God reverence in our irreverent world. He is the only one who is worthy of glory, praise, and honor. He is the only one who merits our worship.
— Herbert Vander Lugt
King Herod, dressed in his royal apparel, delivered an oration to an audience eager to win his favor. He reveled in their flattering response. “[This is] the voice of a god and not of a man!” shouted the crowd (Acts 12:22). Fear and awe of the one true God should have led him to protest, but he didn’t. For his failure to “give glory to God,” he was immediately struck by an angel of the Lord. He suffered an excruciating death because of his lack of reverence for God.
Paul and Barnabas, on the other hand, had such a great reverence for God that they nearly panicked at the thought of being worshiped (Acts 14:14-15). Upon seeing the apostle Paul miraculously heal a man who had been crippled from birth, the onlookers shouted, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” Then they prepared to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas (vv.11-13). When the apostles heard this, they “tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out, . . . ‘Why are you doing these things?’” (vv.14-15).
In these contrasting biblical accounts, we see a solemn call to give God reverence in our irreverent world. He is the only one who is worthy of glory, praise, and honor. He is the only one who merits our worship.
— Herbert Vander Lugt
Guardian Angels
Posted on August 13th, 2009
Curtis Sliwa’s Guardian Angels first showed up in the Bronx in 1979. Known initially as The Rock Brigade, the volunteer citizens group started as a neighborhood anti-litter squad. A short time later, the 23-year-old Sliwa, who was night manager of a fast-food restaurant, expanded the group to The Magnificent Thirteen. They began riding New York subways to protect riders from muggings. Seven months later they took the name Guardian Angels and adopted the identifying marks of red berets and T-shirts bearing the logo of a winged eye. Today the Angels have almost 70 chapters and 7,000 members.
We know more about Sliwa’s group than we do about the angels they are named after. While the Bible has many references to spirits who worship God and do His will, there is reason for the mystery that surrounds them. Even though they serve us on behalf of God, our ultimate well-being is not in their hands. They are examples to us of the obedience and worship God deserves, but they are not to distract us from the One who is their Lord and ours.
The message of Hebrews 1 is clear. Jesus is far superior to the angels (v.4). Their worship of Christ teaches us that He alone deserves our trust and worship. — Mart De Haan
Curtis Sliwa’s Guardian Angels first showed up in the Bronx in 1979. Known initially as The Rock Brigade, the volunteer citizens group started as a neighborhood anti-litter squad. A short time later, the 23-year-old Sliwa, who was night manager of a fast-food restaurant, expanded the group to The Magnificent Thirteen. They began riding New York subways to protect riders from muggings. Seven months later they took the name Guardian Angels and adopted the identifying marks of red berets and T-shirts bearing the logo of a winged eye. Today the Angels have almost 70 chapters and 7,000 members.
We know more about Sliwa’s group than we do about the angels they are named after. While the Bible has many references to spirits who worship God and do His will, there is reason for the mystery that surrounds them. Even though they serve us on behalf of God, our ultimate well-being is not in their hands. They are examples to us of the obedience and worship God deserves, but they are not to distract us from the One who is their Lord and ours.
The message of Hebrews 1 is clear. Jesus is far superior to the angels (v.4). Their worship of Christ teaches us that He alone deserves our trust and worship. — Mart De Haan
Praise–Even in Pain
Posted on August 14th, 2009
Terry Waite, a courageous British negotiator during an international hostage crisis, had gone to Lebanon to arrange the release of prisoners. But he himself was arrested and detained in solitary confinement.
Through long, lonely days and nights, he was unsure that his life would be spared. Nevertheless, every morning he offered as his own a prayer written in 1596 by Queen Elizabeth I. In it he expressed “most humble and hearty thanks for manifold mercies so abundantly bestowed upon me as well as for my creation, preservation, regeneration, and all other of Thy benefits and great mercies exhibited in Jesus Christ.”
Is this how we react to hardships? When troubles engulf us, we plead with God for relief from suffering, for healing of disease, for comfort, for strength, and for the supply of our needs. Such petitions are certainly legitimate, and we should bring them to the Father. But do we remember, as Paul and Silas did from the depths of a jail cell, to offer thanks for God’s lovingkindness? (Acts 16:25). Do we praise God for giving us life itself, as well as the blessed promise of eternal life?
When we acknowledge God’s great mercies, we are able to offer Him praise–even in pain.
— Vernon C. Grounds
Terry Waite, a courageous British negotiator during an international hostage crisis, had gone to Lebanon to arrange the release of prisoners. But he himself was arrested and detained in solitary confinement.
Through long, lonely days and nights, he was unsure that his life would be spared. Nevertheless, every morning he offered as his own a prayer written in 1596 by Queen Elizabeth I. In it he expressed “most humble and hearty thanks for manifold mercies so abundantly bestowed upon me as well as for my creation, preservation, regeneration, and all other of Thy benefits and great mercies exhibited in Jesus Christ.”
Is this how we react to hardships? When troubles engulf us, we plead with God for relief from suffering, for healing of disease, for comfort, for strength, and for the supply of our needs. Such petitions are certainly legitimate, and we should bring them to the Father. But do we remember, as Paul and Silas did from the depths of a jail cell, to offer thanks for God’s lovingkindness? (Acts 16:25). Do we praise God for giving us life itself, as well as the blessed promise of eternal life?
When we acknowledge God’s great mercies, we are able to offer Him praise–even in pain.
— Vernon C. Grounds
Turning Pain into Praise
Posted on August 14th, 2009
After years of a remarkable and fruitful ministry in India, Amy Carmichael became a bedridden sufferer. As the courageous founder and dynamic heart of the Dohnavur Fellowship, she had been instrumental in rescuing hundreds of girls and boys from a terrible life of sexual servitude.
While she carried on her rescue operation of bringing young people into spiritual freedom through faith in Jesus Christ, she wrote books and poems that are still blessing readers around the world.
Then arthritis made Amy a pain-wracked invalid. Did she bemoan her affliction or question God? No. Amy was still the guiding inspiration of Dohnavur, and she still kept on writing. Her meditations, letters, and poems are filled with praise to God and encouragement to her fellow pilgrims.
When affliction strikes us, how do we react? Are we embittered, or do we trustfully appropriate God’s sustaining grace? (2 Corinthians 12:9). And do we prayerfully encourage those around us by our Spirit-enabled cheerfulness, our courage, and our confidence in God?
When we rely on the Lord, He will help us turn pain into praise.
— Vernon C. Grounds
After years of a remarkable and fruitful ministry in India, Amy Carmichael became a bedridden sufferer. As the courageous founder and dynamic heart of the Dohnavur Fellowship, she had been instrumental in rescuing hundreds of girls and boys from a terrible life of sexual servitude.
While she carried on her rescue operation of bringing young people into spiritual freedom through faith in Jesus Christ, she wrote books and poems that are still blessing readers around the world.
Then arthritis made Amy a pain-wracked invalid. Did she bemoan her affliction or question God? No. Amy was still the guiding inspiration of Dohnavur, and she still kept on writing. Her meditations, letters, and poems are filled with praise to God and encouragement to her fellow pilgrims.
When affliction strikes us, how do we react? Are we embittered, or do we trustfully appropriate God’s sustaining grace? (2 Corinthians 12:9). And do we prayerfully encourage those around us by our Spirit-enabled cheerfulness, our courage, and our confidence in God?
When we rely on the Lord, He will help us turn pain into praise.
— Vernon C. Grounds
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