Afternoon Praise • Psalm 138

Thank You!

Everything in me says "Thank You!"

I kneel in worship facing Your holy temple 

and say it again: "Thank You!"

Thank You for Your love, thank You for Your faithfulness;

Most holy is Your name, most holy is Your Word.

The moment I called out, You stepped in;

You made my life large with strength.

When they hear what You have to say, God, 

all earth's kings will say

"Thank You." 

They'll sing of what You've done:

"How great the glory of God!"

And here's why: 

God, high above, sees far below;

no matter the distance, 

He knows everything about us.

When I walk into the thick of trouble,

keep me alive in the angry turmoil.

With one hand strike my foes,

with the other hand save me.

Finish what You started in me, God.

Your love is eternal —

don't quit on me now.

~ Psalm 138 ~

Singing Myself into His Presence

Psalm 100 

On your feet now—applaud God! Bring a gift of laughter,
sing yourselves into his presence.

Know this: God is God, and God, God.
He made us; we didn't make him.
We're his people, his well-tended sheep.

Enter with the password: "Thank you!"
Make yourselves at home, talking praise.
Thank him. Worship him.

For God is sheer beauty,
all-generous in love,
loyal always and ever. 

•

I just wasn't feeling it this morning.

I wanted to have my usual meeting with You

over a cup of coffee and a side of toast.

But the night had been long.

Sleep still beckoned to my eyes, to my head.

The Words I read at first just laid there

on the crisp page. 

The dullness settled. 

Oh how it tugs at my very core.

Calling me to burrow down, 

to cover myself all up in 

the tang of sadness –

the melancholy wants me

to stay, to dive deeper.

•

A white-tailed deer drinks from the creek;
   I want to drink God,
      deep draughts of God.
   I'm thirsty for God-alive.
   I wonder, "Will I ever make it—
      arrive and drink in God's presence?" 

Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
      Why are you crying the blues?
   Fix my eyes on God—
      soon I'll be praising again.
   He puts a smile on my face.
      He's my God.  

Psalm 42:1-3, 5

•

Give me your lantern and compass,
      give me a map,
   So I can find my way to the sacred mountain,
      to the place of your presence,
   To enter the place of worship,
      meet my exuberant God,
   Sing my thanks with a harp,
      magnificent God, my God.

Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
      Why are you crying the blues?
   Fix my eyes on God—
      soon I'll be praising again.
   He puts a smile on my face.
      He's my God. 

Psalm 43:3-5

•

Turning from that bitter-sweet sadness

can be so hard.

Why?

Why does is my heart drawn to sadness?

Why does my heart want to sing the blues?

I choose You, Lord.

You teach my heart to sing.

You lift my head and help me see the beauty – 

the sunshine, the green leaves waving in the breeze,

the sleepy smiles of my kids as they crawl from bed...

You are with me. 

You hear my cry.

I will enter Your gates with thanksgiving,

I will enter Your courts with praise.

I will sing myself into Your presence.

Like a Life Giving Fountain

This morning a friend called me.

Just to say hi and to catch up on what's going on in my life.

As we talked, she made an observation about my life.

She affirmed me.

Just a few simple words.

But oh the difference they made.

Words are powerful things.

With them we can heal or we can harm.

We can build up or we can tear down.

I am thankful my friend used her words for good today.

I'm thankful she took the time to give me a call and to pour life into me today.

I have many little lives to pour into today.

May my words be life giving to them.

So encourage each other and build each other up,
just as you are already doing.
-- 1 Thessalonians 5:11 --

The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain.

-- Proverbs 10:11 --

Kind words are like honey  – sweet to the soul and
healthy for the body.

-- Proverbs 16:24 --

A wise woman builds her house; a foolish woman
tears hers down with her own hands.

-- Proverbs 14: 1 --

Some people make cutting remarks,
but the words of the wise bring healing.

-- Proverbs 12:18 --

Acknowledging the Blessings

Give thanks in all circumstances 
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 
1 Thess. 5:18

I am surrounded by blessings. They are everywhere. But when I refuse to see them, refuse to acknowledge them and give thanks for them, I am missing them completely.

This morning I had the unusual opportunity to be alone in the quiet of our early morning home. I sat and read God's Word and talked with Him, laying before Him my hurt and confusion and disappointment. I felt so weighed down by it all. And the weight just seemed to be getting greater. I just kept seeing more and more things that I am not, ways that I don't measure up or things that I cannot do. I started to despair that I had no joy and I had no idea at the moment how to get it back.

But God is so faithful.

He reminded me, oh so patiently, that joy is in me because He is in me. I just have to acknowledge it. I have to open my eyes to all that surrounds me, that He has done in me and for me, and give thanks for it.

My friend Amaryllis sent me a devotion this morning. It was not a coincidence that it spoke directly to my need. God was just making sure I got the point. Things may not be going the way I hoped or planned or think they should. I may not be doing as well as I think I should. My kids may not be who I think they should be. But, when I focus on what they are not, I miss what they are. I miss the beauty, the joy that is all around me.

I'm asking the Lord to help me to see the blessings that surround me today. And I am choosing to acknowledge them, giving thanks to my Heavenly Father who is the Giver of every good and perfect gift.