Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Observe His Handiwork and Praise Him!



An alarming text on my phone before 6:00 am, read, “MRI showed a very significant acute traumatic brain injury causing a severe concussion plus an older brain injury/concussion that we didn’t even know about!”  

I stopped to pray: “It’s early Lord and the needs of your people cry out to you, to me and others who will stop and pray. Here we are Lord as pitiful as can be, but seeking your face in this desperate cry for a woman and her son.”
  
It is difficult to think of praising the Lord or showing praise to Him when one of your children or your husband suffers a sickness or freak accident OR whatever is outside the normal day, isn’t it? God hasn’t instructed us to jump up and down with happiness when things go wrong, but we can stop and observe Him as He works through everything behind us, beside us and in front of us.

Ps 145:1-3 ¶ David's Psalm of praise. I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.
Ps 145:21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.

C. H. Spurgeon has written one of the neatest little books on praise and praising the Lord. I found it this week while looking for another book. I think I threw it away in one of my moments of cleaning out old books, picked it back up and put it on one of my many bookshelves. I’m glad I did! Whether you agree with C. H. Spurgeon on some matters is your choice and I certainly don’t like to think of him with a cigar, but folks, let’s face it, “God will use all of us if we are willing to be used.” His little book just sent me into a spin of thoughts especially on observing God’s goodness. If we don’t observe what is going around us, thanking Him for His creation, goodness and many blessings, we’ll not have a memory of all that He has and is doing!

Ps 145:7 They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.

Utter the MEMORY…….think on that for a minute.

We cannot remember what we never knew! In order to recall something, there first must be a memory. What a great opportunity to build a positive memory bank by just observing everything around us as God’s reminder that He is here, RIGHT HERE AND THERE WITH YOU, dear friend!

Between 4:45 and 5:30 am in the morning, a screech owl can be heard (quite often….too often!) right outside our home. Usually, I am studying by then, but the sound always catches me off guard. Sometimes, there may be two calling back and forth to one another. Only God can create such a bird and although they are somewhat frightening, I finally began thanking the Lord for His handiwork. They are His blessings to me each and every day. The birds and squirrels get involved with the other critters that come from the forest of trees next to our property. Folks, whether it is a screeching owl or a melodic bird, they are from God. Observe to remember because we can’t praise suitably without a good positive outlook that God is in control. Our lips should be open and speaking the Words of God back to Him who wrote them in the beginning. I adore the idea that God enjoys hearing what He has written coming from us, his children, don't you? 

Consider jotting down some “stuff” to remember. You may not remember as much as you need if you don’t write it down.  Several ideas come to my mind: pencil and pad by the bed, pen and pad in the car as you listen to sermons on the radio, and then of course, pen and pad as you observe God’s creation while driving, sitting, or just enjoying a few minutes of peace and quiet. A journal with your Bible is an absolute must if you have the privilege of going to church and receiving the sweet message God has given to your Pastor.

As we speak the praise of our Lord, others are blessed! Don’t you want others to remember YOU for praise rather than a critical and complaining spirit! This is by far better than speaking nonsense wrapped with a cantankerous obnoxious tongue which gives nothing back to God but dung! I didn’t mean for that to rhyme and for certain do not write IT down to remember!

Observe what God has provided and then PRAISE Him for it!

Ps 71:8 Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.

Until next time, Lord willing..
Sharon

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