Praise the Lord! – Psalm 150:1

This is a familiar phrase to all of us. We have heard it spoken among believers, written in correspondence and shouted in worship services. The word “praise” can be found 380 times in the Bible (NLT), 187 times in the book of Psalms. As we finish up our study of this book of poetry, I find myself slowing down to consider this familiar phrase that rolls of my tongue. This morning I seek new understanding of this command in scripture – the command to praise the Lord. I do not want the familiarity of the words to cause me to miss out on what God’s Word is calling me to do.

Google provides us with a few definitions:
Praise – to express warm approval or admiration of; the expression of approval or admiration of someone or something.
The two main words found in this definition of praise are “approval” and “admiration”.
Approval – the action of officially agreeing to something or accepting something as satisfactory; the belief that someone or something is good or acceptable.
Admiration – respect or warm approval.

This morning I watched a video of a 15 month old baby girl in California experiencing rain for the first time. She was adorable as she stretched out her hands and tilted her face toward the sky. She giggled and smiled in approval of this new experience.

What if I were to worship like this little girl experienced the rain? What if I turn my face towards God and lift up my hands in praise, showing how I agree with God that this life He has given me is good – that I admire and approve. What if I worship God like I am experiencing Him for the first time?

So when I say “Praise the Lord” what am I saying? I am expressing approval and admiration of God. I am agreeing that God is good and I can accept what He decides to do. SUBMISSION. I am showing respect for who God is and what He does. God does not need my approval in the sense of seeking my permission or favor, but He demands my respect and acceptance of His Lordship. SUBMISSION.

Can I now say “Praise the Lord” and really mean it? Can I accept Him for who He is and recognize that He is good, that all He does is acceptable and worthy of my admiration? Even in the most difficult of situations, can I rest submissively in His hands and say, “Praise the Lord!!!”

Praise the Lord!

Let all that I am praise the Lord, I will praise the Lord as long as I live.
I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath. – Psalm 146:1-2

The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
The Lord is good to everyone.
He showers compassion on all His creation.
All of your works will thank you, Lord, and your faithful followers will praise you.
They will speak of the glory of your kingdom; they will give examples of your power.
They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign.
For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
You rule throughout all generations.
The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does. – Psalm 145:8-13

Praise the Lord!

He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.
He counts the stars and calls them by name.
How great is our Lord!
His power is absolute!
His understanding is beyond comprehension! – Psalm 147:3-5

Praise the Lord!

Let all created things give praise to the Lord, for he issued his command, and they came into being…
Praise the Lord from the earth, you creatures of the ocean depths, fire and hail, snow and clouds, wind and weather that obey him, mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all livestock, small scurrying animals and birds, kings of the earth and all people, rulers and judges of the earth, your men and young women, old men and children.
Let all praise the name of the Lord.
For his name is very great; his glory towers over the earth and heaven. – Psalm 148:5-13

Let the praise of God be in their mouths, and a sharp sword in their hands. – Psalm 149:6

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord! – Psalm 150:1-2,6

Once a year, the Church of the Nazarene schedules a leadership retreat for its District Superintendents and their spouses. They choose a warm climate and a quiet getaway for us to step into as we step out of our chaotic schedules. It is an opportunity to soak in the sun while we soak in the presence of God’s Son. We have worship services and incredible messages by our General Superintendents.

As difficult as it is for me to leave my girls behind and leave my job behind, I know that I need this. I know how spending time in God’s presence can change me and refresh me. But this is something I need every day, all year – not just at a spiritual retreat. That is why I get up each morning and spend time in His presence before the house gets loud and the day picks up momentum. Me, my God and a hot cup of my morning coffee.

…the godly will live in your presence. – Psalm 140:13b

Spending time in God’s presence changes us.

Spending time with the Lord produces godliness in our lives. Spending time daily getting a fresh filling of the Spirit produces good fruit in our life. It changes what we do and what we say.

Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips.
Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness.
Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who do wrong. – Psalm 141:3-4

Lord, I long to dwell in Your presence and give you control of what I say and what I do. Lord, protect me from the urgings of my sinful nature and breathe into me the urgings of Your Spirit. Guide what I say and what I do. Guide the direction of my life, O God.

Spending time in God’s presence changes our direction.

When I am overwhelmed, YOU ALONE KNOW THE WAY I SHOULD TURN.
Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me.
I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought!
No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me.
Then I pray to you, O Lord.
I say, “You are my place of refuge.
YOU ARE ALL I REALLY WANT IN LIFE.” – Psalm 142:3-5

Spending time in God’s presence changes our desires.

Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you.
Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.
Rescue me from my enemies, Lord; I run to you to hide me.
TEACH ME TO DO YOUR WILL, for you are my God.
May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. – Psalm 143:8-10

Spending time in God’s presence brings us joy!

Yes, joyful are those who live like this!
Joyful indeed are those whose God is the Lord. – Psalm 144:15

Spending time in God’s presence draws us closer to Him.

The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.
He grants the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cries for help and rescues them. – Psalm 145:18-19

…the godly will live in your presence. – Psalm 140:13b

That is where I long to spend my day – in Your presence, Lord. Not just while I drank my morning coffee, but all day long. May Your presence in my life today change me – change my desires, change my direction. May time in Your presence bring me joy and draw me closer to You. Lord, refresh me and renew me for what lies ahead. I soak in Your presence, Father God, and fix my eyes on You.

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers –
the moon and the stars you set in place –
what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them? – Psalm 8:3-4

I can relate to these words of the psalmist. Sometimes I am overwhelmed with the fact that the God of Creation loves me and cares about me – individually! The book of Psalms does not just tell us about God, it describes man’s relationship with God. As we read through it, we do not simply increase what WE KNOW ABOUT GOD. We come face to face with the fact that WE ARE KNOWN BY GOD.

The Lord will work out his plans for my life – for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.
Don’t abandon me, for you made me. – Psalm 138:8

My favorite verse in scripture is Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” This verse in Psalm 138 is another great reminder that the God who created me knows everything there is to know about me and it is this God who holds my life in His hands.

O Lord, you have examined my heart and know EVERYTHING about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.
You know EVERYTHING I do.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!

I can never escape your Spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!
If I go up to the heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.
If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.
I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night –
but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are the same to you. – Psalm 139:1-12

There is no pretending when it comes to our relationship with God. He knows our heart – He knows what we are feeling and where we are struggling. There is no need to pretend. This God who created us understands us. He created us to need His hand to guide us and His strength to support us. He will not leave us alone. When we look back, He is there. When we look forward, He is there.

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!
I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up, you are still with me! – Psalm 139:13-18

Already this year, I have had to face some fear of the uncertainty of life. A few weeks ago, a mother I know from Bloomington found out that her youngest son has leukemia. Instantly their life changed. Last weekend, Dave Cronebaugh fell on the ice and now he is fighting for his life. I am reminded that there is no certainty of what today holds, what tomorrow will bring. That fact frightens me. Today’s Scripture reminds me that God knows – that He will work out His plans for my life and never abandon me. I can rest in the knowledge that God loves me and thinks about me.

Lord, you know what this life holds for me. I ask You to guide me and strengthen me according to Your plan for my life. Go before me and follow me. Place Your hand of blessing on my head. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out everything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life (139:23-24). I commit another day to You, Lord, trusting You with all the details. I choose to spend my time in Your ever faithful presence. Fill me with Your Spirit, O Lord, and make today exactly what You want it to be. Amen.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His love endures forever. – Psalm 136:1

This morning I read this verse over and over again, soaking in the meaning of just how incredible God is. He is a good God – a God who loves us with a love that will endure forever. His love will endure. It will suffer patiently; it will tolerate. His love will bear…stand…suffer…tolerate…sustain…undergo.

God, our CREATOR, will love us with a love that will endure forever!

Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully. His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights – His faithful love endures forever. – Psalm 136:4-7

God, our PROTECTOR, will love us with a love that will endure forever!

Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever.
He brought Israel out of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever.
He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm. His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever.
He led Israel safely through, His faithful love endures forever. – Psalm 136:10-14

God, our PROVIDER, will love us with a love that will endure forever!

Do you get that? Are you letting that completely soak in and saturate your being this morning? Don’t let a phrase you have heard over and over again in your life lose its meaning. Take hold of this promise for today – HIS FAITHFUL LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!

He remembered us in our weakness. His faithful love endures forever.
He saved us from our enemies. His faithful love endures forever.
He gives food to every living thing. His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven. His faithful love endures forever. – Psalm 136:23-26

I give thanks, O Lord, with all my heart;
I will sing your praises before the gods.
I bow before your Holy Temple as I worship.
I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness;
for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.

Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies.
You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me.
The Lord will work out his plans for my life – for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.
Don’t abandon me, for you made me. – Psalm 138

The love of God suffers patiently for me. The God who created me will not abandon me because He loves me with a love that will endure forever. His love is strong and can bear with me through my struggles because it is a love that will endure forever – a love that protects and provides. The Lord will work out HIS plans for my life. He will part the “Red Seas” and bring me out of my “Egypt”. He will remember me in my weakness and provide for me according to His plan for my life.

His faithful love endures forever.

The world is especially quiet this morning. A beautiful blanket of sparkly snow covers everything outside, which means it is a snow day. Schools have been cancelled and it seems as if the world is sleeping in. There are no cars passing by. All is quiet. The snow is so beautiful, so peaceful, so quiet. Yet with the beauty of this snow comes a fear and the reality of dangerous road conditions and extreme cold temperatures.

I am reminded this morning that life is very much like a fresh snow fall. It is absolutely beautiful and full of the potential for fun, but it also comes with its fears. Just like driving on an icy surface, there is fear of that feeling of being out of control – when life is happening to you and, no matter which way you turn the steering wheel, your life seems to be spinning the wrong direction.

It is in these moments that we turn our eyes to the Lord. We cry out for His help and we place our family and our life in His hands.

I look up to the mountains – does my help come from there?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!

The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life.
The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. – Psalm 121

What a wonderful God we serve! I love this picture of God watching over me, providing a protective shade. What if He did sleep? What if He did not watch over us protectively? As a mother, I can drive myself crazy in a matter of a few minutes if I let my mind go to the “what if’s” in life. I consciously let myself rest and stop my mind from considering the “what if’s”. It is better for me to relax in the reality that I serve a God I can count on – a God I can trust.

What if the Lord had not been on our side?
Let all Israel repeat:
What if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us?
They would have swallowed us alive in their burning anger.
The waters would have engulfed us; a torrent would have overwhelmed us.
Yes, the raging waters of their fury would have overwhelmed our very lives.

Praise the Lord, who did not let their teeth tear us apart!
We escaped like a bird from a hunter’s trap.
The trap is broken, and we are free!
Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. – Psalm 124

Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy! – Psalm 126:3

From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help.
Hear my cry, O Lord.
Pay attention to my prayer.

O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is unfailing love.
His redemption overflows.
He himself will redeem Israel from every kind of sin. – Psalm 130

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. – Psalm 119:11

I have heard this verse a thousand times. I memorized it as a child and have sung the words, recited the words, and used the words to encourage others. I read it again this morning and it is fresh and new. Isn’t God incredible?!! His word is living and active. Even the scriptures we have known all our lives come alive to us at different times. We go from “Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard that before” to “Wow, I never thought of it that way!”

So what is this revelation to my heart? Holiness – I hide God’s word in my heart so that I can live out the holiness He is calling me to. His word is a lamp unto my feet on this journey of holiness; a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105).

Help me understand the meaning of your commandments,
and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds.
I weep with sorrow; encourage me by your word.
Keep me from lying to myself; give me the privilege of knowing your instructions…
Teach me your decrees, O Lord; I will keep them to the end.
Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions;
I will put them into practice with all my heart.
Make me walk along the path of your commands, for this is where my happiness is found.
Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money!
Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word.
Reassure me of your promise, made to those who fear you.
Help me abandon my shameful ways; for your regulations are good.
I long to obey your commandments!
Renew my life with your goodness. – Psalm 119: 33-40

God’s word encourages me when I am sad.
God’s word reveals truth to me when I am trying to convince myself of what I want to be true.
God’s word reminds me of the value in God’s plan.
God’s word reassures me of His promises and I am renewed!

God has done more than just hand us His word. He continues to use His word to teach us and to give us understanding. Obedience comes from these teaching moments and these teaching moments create more obedience. We walk along the path of holiness and we find happiness in following God’s ways.

How I delight in your commands!
I love them! – Psalm 119:47

Let’s join the psalmist in his love song of commitment to the God of holiness.

Lord, you are mine!
I promise to obey your words!
With all my heart I want your blessings.
Be merciful as you promised.
I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws.
I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands.
Evil people try to drag me into sin, but I am firmly anchored to your instructions.
I rise at midnight to thank you for your just regulations.
I am a friend to anyone who fears you – anyone who obeys your commandments.
O Lord, your unfailing love fills the earth; teach me your decrees. – Psalm 119:57-64

You made me; you created me.
Now give me the sense to follow your commands…
For I have put my hope in your word…
Now let your unfailing love comfort me, just as you promised me, your servant.
Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live,
for your instructions are my delight…
My eyes are straining to see your promises come true. – Psalm 119:73-77,82

Oh, how I love your instructions!
I think about them all day long.
Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide.
Yes, I have more insight…I am even wiser…
Your commandments give me understanding… – Psalm 119:97-104

Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart’s delight…
Your word is my source of hope – Psalm 119:111,114b

I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.
Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! – Psalm 116:1-2

He loves you and He hears you. There is nothing going on in your life that He is unaware of – no detail missed by Him. He is bending down and listening. Enter into His presence and share your heart with Him. You will find kindness and mercy. THE LORD IS FOR YOU!

Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Please save me!”
How kind the Lord is! How good he is!
So merciful, this God of ours.
The Lord protects those of childlike faith;
I was facing death, and he saved me.
Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me.
He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
And so I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth!
I believe in you, so I said, “I am deeply troubled, Lord.” – Psalm 116:4-10

In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free.
THE LORD IS FOR ME, so I will have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?
Yes, THE LORD IS FOR ME; he will help me.
I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. – Psalm 118:5-9

God is for you! He is aware of everything going on and loves you deeply. It is better to go to Him and take refuge than to look to other people for answers. It is better to go to Him and take refuge than to trust in earthly authority and leadership. When we enter into His presence and pray to Him, bending down to listen He answers us. He saves us from death. He wipes the tears from our eyes and keeps our feet from stumbling.

Light shines in the darkness for the godly… – Psalm 112:4a

He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy form the garbage dump.
He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people!
He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother. – Psalm 113:7-9

We serve a God who sees the hurts and needs of His people. He reaches down and cares for them through the generous love of the godly. He creates in them a natural desire to be generous with others. It is through us that God meets the needs of others. It is through others that God meets our needs.

Light shines in the darkness for the godly.
They are generous, compassionate and righteous.
Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly.
Such people will not be overcome by evil.
Those who are righteous will be long remembered.
They do not fear bad news:
They confidently trust the Lord to care for them.
They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly.
They share freely and give generously to those in need.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.
They will have influence and honor. – Psalm 112:4-9

Let us draw into God’s presence and take refuge in Him so that He can strengthen us and prepare us to be His hands and feet in the lives of others. THE LORD IS FOR YOU! Until we have entered into His presence and allowed Him to heal us and fill us with His Spirit, we are not ready to help others. We need to first go to Him and then allow Him to send us.

Open for me the gates where the righteous enter, and I will go in and thank the Lord.
These gates lead to the presence of the Lord, and the godly enter there.
I thank you for answering my prayer and giving me victory!…

This is the day the Lord has made.
We will rejoice and be glad in it. – Psalm 118:19-21, 24

O Lord, I have so many enemies; so many are against me.
So many are saying, “God will never rescue him!”

But you, O Lord, are a shield around me;
You are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy mountain.
I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety,
for the Lord was watching over me. – Psalm 3:1-5

The book of Psalms is the place many of us go when we are struggling – when difficult times are upon us and we are wondering why God is allowing us to walk such a hard path. The Psalms remind us that God allows us to go through pain and experience problems so that we will long for His PRESENCE, recognize His PROVISION, and cry out for His PROTECTION. Over and over again you see this pattern in the poetry of the Psalms – this dance between man and God.

The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord,
do not abandon those who search for you. – Psalm 9:9-10

Difficult times come and our faith in God causes us to seek Him in the midst of the pain – where is God (PRESENCE), how is He going to help me (PROVISION) and am I going to survive this (PROTECTION)? We cry out “Lord, have mercy!” (9:13a) and He hears the hopes of the helps – He hears their cries and comforts them, bringing justice and faith to replace the fear (10:17-18).

Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!
Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.
Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”
Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.
But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me. – Psalm 13:3-6

Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge.
I said to the Lord, “You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you.”…
Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.
You guard all that is mine. [PROVISION]
The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!
I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me…
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your PRESENCE
and the pleasures of living with you forever. – Psalm 16:1-2,5-8,11

This dance of life is a partner dance – a dance rooted in relationship with God. We are not meant to struggle alone but to allow difficult times to bring us back to the dance floor where God hears our cries, knows every detail of our problems and stays by our side through it all. It is His PRESENCE that helps us find joy despite our circumstances.

I love you, Lord; you are my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
My God is my rock, in whom I find PROTECTION.
He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.
I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.
The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me.
The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path.
But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears. – Psalm 18:1-6

For some their pain is physical and they are faced with a disease or injury that threatens their life. The same God is their Great Physician, listening to the cries of their heart and making the same promises – I will be with you (PRESENCE), I will be everything you need (PROVISION) and I will be your fortress (PROTECTION).

Perhaps you are thinking – I am not a good dancer. I avoid the dance floor because it is hard for me to submit to someone else’s lead. I can deal with my own problems without His PRESENCE, I have my own source of PROVISION and I do not need His PROTECTION. The psalmist declares his own testimony of letting go and allowing God to draw him out of the dark and into His light. We do not have to know what to do but simply allow God to take the lead, supporting us and keeping our feet from slipping – even in the most difficult of situations.

You light a lamp for me.
The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.
In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale a wall.
God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for PROTECTION.
For who is God except the Lord?
Who but our God is a solid rock?
God arms me with strength [PROVISION] and makes my way perfect.
He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.
He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.
You have given me your shield of victory.
Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great.
You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping. – Ps. 18:28-36

God is speaking. Can you hear Him? “Can I have this dance?” Will you trust Him and allow Him to take the lead? Will you let go of the pain and the problems and hold onto Him instead?

I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying,
for he speaks peace to his faithful people. – Psalm 85:8a

I wonder if God is speaking to me. I wonder if that is His voice. Have you ever had a similar experience or time when you wondered if you were hearing from God? Do we miss out on opportunities to hear God because we do not step out of our busy schedules to sit still and listen?

Get into the habit of saying, “Speak, Lord,” and life will become a romance. Every time circumstances press in on you, say “Speak, Lord,” and make time to listen. Chastening is more than means of discipline – it is meant to bring me to the point of saying, “Speak, Lord.” Think back to a time when God spoke to you. Do you remember what He said? … As we listen, our ears become more sensitive, and like Jesus, we will hear God all the time (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, January 30th).

Those words resonate with my heart’s desire to be close to God. Many times in my life I have been challenged to think of my relationship with God as any other relationship in my life. In order to draw closer to someone, we must spend time with them and communicate with them, both listening and speaking. This makes sense but the intimacy we have with God is so much deeper than any other relationship. I love how Oswald Chambers describes the life of listening to God as a romance. The more we listen, the more we will hear from God; the more we hear from God, the more sensitive we become to His voice and the more easily we recognize Him.

Last night at youth group, Charlotte More played a song while each of us took time to write in our journals. She urged us to listen for God this week. While we had this special time of entering into God’s presence, she played one of my favorite songs – The More I Seek You, written by Zach Neese and sang by Kari Jobe. The melody is in my head still this morning and the song is in my heart, desiring to recline on my Savior and hear His heartbeat.

The more I seek you, the more I find you.
The more I find you, the more I love you.

The more I seek you, the more I find you.
The more I find you, the more I love you.

Thank you, Lord, for loving me enough to draw me closer to You. I thank you for the experience of resting in Your presence and simply drinking from the cup of Your hand. Teach me to recline and trust You at all times, finding my hope in only You.

I wait quietly before God,
for my victory comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will never be shaken…

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
for my hope is in him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will not be shaken.
My victory and honor come from God alone.
He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
O my people, trust in him at all times.
Pour out your heart to him,
for God is our refuge. – Psalm 62:1-2,5-8

And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”
And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” – 1 Samuel 3:10

Come, let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God.
We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care.
If only you would listen to his voice today! – Psalm 95:6-7

Oh Holy God! I stay amazed.
You are so much more than words could ever say.
Oh Holy God! I pour out my praise
On the One who never ceases to amaze

These are lyrics to the song I Stay Amazed by Gateway Worship. Our God is so amazing but consider how easy it is for us to get so used to that idea that we stop celebrating it. We can easily get so used to the concept that our God is awesome that we don’t stop to really consider just how incredible He is. What if we were to stay amazed?!!

He is more than words can say, yet the Psalmist did a great job of putting the wonderful attributes of God into words. Let’s read the words of Psalm 40 this morning as if we were hearing these things for the first time. Let’s celebrate our wonderful God and stay amazed all day long!

I waited patiently for the LORD to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the LORD

But may all who search for you
be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation
repeatedly shout, “The LORD is great!” (Psalm 40:1-9, 11, 16).

But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God.
I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.
I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done.
I will trust in your good name in the presence of your faithful people. – Ps. 52:8-9

But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, “God is great!” – Ps. 70:4

“God is so great – higher than the heavens, higher than the farthest stars.” – Job 22:12

Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!…
Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
Bring your offering and come into his courts.
Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.
Let all the earth tremble before him. – Ps. 96:4a,8-9

Lord, we stand before you AMAZED! You are great and you are holy! Your wonderful deeds are too numerous to recite, your love beyond unfailing. Lord, we praise you for what you have done and we join our voices together to say we trust in your good name.