Happy New Year! I've been led in my morning devotions to Psalm 38-40. I don't know if it's the sparkle of the frosty mornings, the beauty of the snow or just the beautiful view out my mountains, but the awesomeness and power of His creation have been leading me to times of praise. In our choir devotion this evening, we will try to define just what 'praise' is by reading through Psalm 148 and some word studies on the use of that word in Scripture. In the meantime, I was also reminded of a devotion I wrote many years ago as I am often inspired to praise by the beauty of the creation I am surrounded by. May it bless you!


Psalm 66:4 "All the earth will worship Thee"

2/21/00

The February night was clear and cold; and, as we drove along under a starry sky illuminated by the light of the full moon, a song came to my heart with the words "all creation worships Thee". Out of the car window were trees; leafless and barren all along the road. There were no street lights on this dark country road in northeast Tennessee, but the trees stood highlighted against the moonlit brightness of the sky. The words to the song filled my heart with awe as I looked at His creation; those wonderful old trees and realized that every one was a model of worship. Each tree in its never-ending pose stood as erect as the Lord had fashioned it; and each one held its branches and limbs high to the sky as though praising the One through whom all things were created, and for whom are all things. I could not contain my glee as I saw this familiar sight through new eyes. Oh Lord, how excellent Your name is! And, oh Lord, how I want to worship and praise you without ceasing, night and day, just like these beautiful old trees that stand in stark contrast to the world around them. And, just as that thought was piercing my heart with the contrast in my own life to that desire, God, in His infinite love and mercy reminded me that those old warriors reached out towards Him because of their need and total dependency upon Him. On their own, without the light and water only He can provide, they would wither and die. How our relationship with God is like that. His light is a reflection of Him in our lives and from us into the darkness of this world. Without that light and the living water that continually washes us in His word, we will wither and die from the sin that enslaves those apart from Him. How true this has been in my own life time and time again.

Where does this find you today? Is your life surrounded by darkness separating you from the One who died for your sins; darkness that iscausing you to wither and die? Or, are you standing erect; holding fast; arms outstretched; in praise, adoration and worship of the One who holds your future in the palm of His hand? Are you rooted in the firm
foundation of His word or in the sinking sand of the world? Oh, how He wants our worship and our praise. Let us sing to Him glory and hallelujiah!