God's
Word declares that if we fail to praise Him, even the rocks will cry out in
their awesome wonder of our amazing Lord (Luke 19:40). God's loving devotion
never departs from us, and His covenant of peace is never broken, because of
His constant compassion for us (Isaiah 54:10).
Nature
understands that He is Lord and it honors Him. He can bring down the mightiest
of trees and dry up the greenest tree; but He also makes little trees grow tall
and causes withered trees to flourish (Ezekiel 17:24).
When
the pastures are full of herds and the heartland is bright with grain, they
shout and sing in triumph because of all their splendor that He provides (Psalm
65:13, 96:12). The heavens and earth praise Him, even all the creatures in the
seas (Psalm 69:34).
We
have so much for which to praise God. We are often moved to shout out loud with
the depths of the earth as well as breaking into singing like the mountains and
forests and trees, because the Lord redeems us and continually reveals His
glory to us (Isaiah 44:23).
God
comforts His people, and has compassion on the afflicted (Isaiah 49:13, 52:9).
Joy and gladness overwhelm us, and sorrow and discouragement flee from our soul
(Isaiah 51:11). Therefore, we sing His praises during each moment of our day,
and we look forward to eternity to praise His name continually.
Prayer:
Father
God, there is no end to Your blessings on this earth; and there will be even
more benefits for us once You take Your rightful throne as King of kings and
Lord of lords. You rejoice over us with singing (Zephaniah 3:17), and we are
the apple of Your eye (Psalm 17:8; Zachariah 2:8). You never fail to provide
for our needs, protect us in afflictions, and procure for us all that we need
to live as victors in this life.
Give
us the courage to break forth into songs, as nature does, whenever You give us
one of Your astonishing gifts, or when we remember who You are, and what You
have done and continue to do for us each moment of our day. You inhabit our
praise (Psalm 22:3); and, as Your Spirit's temple (1 Corinthians 6:19), we go
out with Your joy and are led forth with Your peace (Isaiah 55:12).
Thought
for the Day:
The
wilderness and the land is glad, and the desert rejoices and blossoms like a
rose, blooming in joy at the glory of the Lord and the splendor of our God; the
rivers clap their hands and the mountains echo together in their joy; God calls
us to rejoice with shouts of praise to Him as well.
-
Isaiah 35:1-2; Psalm 98:8, 105:43
