PRAISE

Psalm 33:1
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; for praise is comely for the upright.

“Daddy, look at me!” is a familiar cry we parents hear. Our children love to show us what they can do, have learned, or accomplished. They long for the loving parental praises of their parents or guardians. They long for our undivided attention and admiration. It fills their heart with joy and strength for new adventures and challenges. It lets them know they are loved, adored, and truly cared for.

God is no different. He longs to hear praise from His beloved. He longs to hear us cry in admiration, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty!” He rejoices in our learning, our understanding, our joy, our prayers, and the songs of our heart. O believer, rejoice in the Lord. Rejoice and sing in the freedom from eternal, everlasting, death and separation from God. Rejoice in the death, suffering, and – hallelujah – resurrection of God’s son, Christ Jesus. Rejoice in the stories and struggles of saints gone before us. Rejoice in the rich history of God as recorded in the Bible. Rejoice in the spirit of love and a sound mind we have been given. Rejoice in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit; rejoice in His teaching, His comfort, and His intercessory prayer. Rejoice!

O believer, rejoice. Sing praises to the King of Kings. Bow before the throne of His Majesty and Glory and praise Him. Reach into the deepest recesses of your heart, recall the depth of depravity you have traveled, and weep in glorious praise at all He has done. Beloved, you are beautiful in His sight, and nothing is more beautiful to Him than to hear your praises. To hear you recall His selfless giving, His loving protection, His power of healing, His lessons of discipline, and His plans for our future. You – His pride and joy – are His delight. He loves His creation that was made in His very own image; holy, pure, and eternal.

O believer, rejoice in the Lord; take delight in Him, and lift your hands heavenward and from the depth of your soul praise the Lord Most High! He is the King of Kings; the Lord of Lords; the Master, Savior, and Creator; Emmanuel – God with us. He alone is worthy of our praise. O believer, dance before the King and praise His Holy name!

Filth

We recently went on vacation for a week. When we got home we unloaded the luggage, groceries, and other items we took with us, or brought back. Even though we removed everything from the car, it was still filthy. It had bird droppings, water spots, mud, dirt, sand, and even trash still inside.

We are the same way. We can stop smoking, drinking, cussing, looking at pornography, talking ugly, being rude and disrespectful, arguing with your spouse or boyfriend, being dishonest and untruthful, but until we confess these wrongs and ask for forgiveness we are still filthy. Yes, we have by all appearances cleaned up our life and made room for some more good qualities, but we are still filthy, we are dirty inside and out. The residue of our travel in this world still weighs heavy on our heart and soul. We are still caked in it, we still smell like it, and we look awful. We may look better, but we are not clean.

Until we remove ourselves from the distractions of this world, enter our prayer closet, and fall before the Most Holy God and confess the errors of our ways, we are unclean and intolerable in His sight. But, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) He alone can clean you up. He alone can remove all traces of filth you have been wallowing in. He alone can and will remove any guilt and shame of your past. He alone will forgive and forget.

He longs for a pure, holy, and intimate fellowship with His creation; His creation that was made in His very own image; His creation that was made to fellowship, worship, and praise the Creator; His creation that was designed to rule over the birds of the air, the fish of the sea, and all the creepy things on the ground. You are His pride and joy, the delight of His heart, and like earthly parents who long to see you succeed in life, He longs for you to be pure and holy.

When earthly parents weep and mourn over the error of your ways, God also weeps and mourns. He made us pure and holy and nothing is more heart breaking than to see His pride and joy falling for the lies and deceits of this world, tossed around by the deception of “the good life,” or carried away by the filthy lustful pleasures this world claims is your right and privilege. O how His heart aches and mourns for His creation. O how He longs for the pure, undefiled fellowship He once had.

O sinner, O believer, come into the Holy and Mighty presence of the Lord God almighty, fall at His feet in anguish and sorrow at the path of life you have wandered down. Lay prostrate at His feet and moan at the wretched state of your heart and mind. Repeat the anguished words of Paul as he cried, “What a wretched man I am. Who can save me from this body of death?” O sinner, O believer, confess your heart, confess your thoughts, confess your speech, your actions, and lay them at His feet.

Love

I have loved thee with an everlasting love.

Jeremiah 31:3

“I have loved thee with an everlasting love” brings to mind such a beautiful love between a husband and a wife. A pure love, undefiled, selfless, generous, kind, thoughtful, and caring. A love that says “til death do us part.” A love that speaks no angry words and knows and speaks sweet words of love and encouragement. A love that gives to its beloved and says, “Take. This is mine and I give it to you.” A love that longs to please and is satisfied in that giving.

If you know God’s love, you know this pure, holy, undefiled, selfless, kind, thoughtful, bountiful, caring, and sacrificial love. His love is so pure that I can never repay it. His love is so kind that my generosity will never merit against it. His love is pure, holy, and undefiled and my love will never match it. His love is bountiful, caring, and selfless and my love will never compare to such selflessness and kindness. Yet, He loves me “with an everlasting love.” His love endures. His love died for me, endured death, and lives forever. His love longs for my love.

His love rises early in the morning and waits for me to awake. His love waits patiently for me to speak and acknowledge His presence. His love longs to talk about the activity of my day. His love is selfless in His providing for my basic needs. His love smiles as I leave and start a new day, but wonders when I will spend time with Him. His love hovers over me and clings to me like the cloths I wear, but I never noticed His enduring presence. His love looks on as I struggle through difficult people and problems. His love reaches out to hold my hand and longs to whisper words of wisdom and advice in my ear, but I don’t see or hear Him. His love patiently waits for me.

His love longs to please in the selfless giving of time. As my calendar is freed with canceled appointments He longs to talk with me over lunch, but I never noticed His presence in the car. Instead the news of the day, the phone has rung, or the songs of this world enticed my mind and consumed my newly found free time. Yet undaunted He waits. His love gives through the selfless acts of kindness of others once again asking patiently for my attention and I didn’t see Him.

His love protects me as I travel home, yet as I missed the speeding car that ran a red light I never noticed His presence. Once home I drop my bag and purse and plop my tired body in a chair and turn on the television. His love continues to call to me, but I don’t hear Him. His love whispers words of love and kindness, they go unnoticed. His love waits for me as I finish the day, but I walk past and fall into bed.

“His love is everlasting.” When will I notice? When will I see all that He has and is and will continue doing for me? When will my cold heart burn with the fire of His love? When will I know His very presence moment by moment, morning by morning, and day after day? When will this selfish heart break open and spill out its love for the One who loved me first? When will this heart give its love to the Giver and Provider of all love? When will I?

O Precious Father, may Your love never grow cold within me. May I always know Your intimate presence. May I always long to spend time with You. May the deepest yearnings of my heart surface to the top and cry, “Abba Father. You who loved me first fill my every thought with Your enduring love.” May I know from whence I came. May I long never to be the same. May my thoughts and selfishness be tamed by Your pure and holy love. O Father, may I share Your love in return with equaled devotion and cry out that I am unworthy of Your kindness and caring. Fill my longing with You. Fill my yearning with You. Fill my desire for love with You. Fill my entire being with You and may every sense of my being know Your everlasting presence and enduring love.

Goodness

Psalm 31:19-20

How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you. In the shelter of your presence you hide them from intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues.

How great is your goodness –You, who created the universes; You, who created all living things; You, who bestowed upon me the likeness of Your holy image.

How great is your goodness – You, who loves me; You, whose joy is my delight, You, my Father and my King.

How great is your goodness – You, my provider; You, my healer; You, my protector.

How great is your goodness – You, who knows my tears; You, who knows my fears; You, who knows my heartaches and dreams.

How great is your goodness – You, who gives me strength; You, who gives me rest; You, whose shelter and presence I long for.

How great is your goodness – You, whose kingdom is everlasting; You, whose glory is forever; You, whose holiness is enduring.

How great is Your goodness you lavish on me. O Precious Father, may I never forget Your goodness. Remind me often of whence I came and may my heart remain humble of all that you gave. May the remembrance of your goodness forever be before me. May my heart long to please you from all the goodness you have bestowed upon me. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.