Little memories

1. Derecho

When I started this Sabbatical, the Lord had said, “Praise Me.” I love how God comes back to things He was saying before to add a new layer of understanding.

2. Derecho

5 years ago this past week was wild.

Our whole city looked like this. Trees down everywhere. 80% of the tree canopy of our city was taken out. So much has happened since then. Life went on. People lost homes. Kids are grown now. This 13-year-old is now 18. That man has been in his job for almost 10 years.

Lord, I praise you; you were faithful that day. We’ve healed, rebuilt, grown, and have seen the glory of the Lord shine upon us.

A little study

I awoke one night this week at 340am and the Lord said, “Lift your hands and praise Me.”

I ended up in a study about worship, praise, and thanksgiving.

WORSHIP — is the posture of the body.

• A bowed head
• A bowed body on the knees
• A body prostrate or flat on the floor and face down

Worship is when we want to relate to God in His Holiness. Worship and service go together.

Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.

Matthew 4:10

First we worship, and then we serve. We go with our body where He says to go and do what He says to do. This is why we call it acts of service. It encompasses the acts of our body. We use our bodies as a totally surrendered life. We yield our life to Him who is holy and let His Spirit act through us. In this we honor and have reverence for Him.

 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.² Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:1-2

PRAISE — is the fruit of our lips. Praise is to use our tongues to speak of God’s greatness. This is to declare out loud His character.

 Therefore, through him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.

Hebrews 13:15

Praise is unique because the Bible calls it something so interesting. Glory!

That my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

Psalm 30:12

Only a tongue can sing!

My tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praise all day long

Psalm 35:2

When tongues praise, then something wonderful happens.

But you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.

Psalm 22:3

God inhabits praise; He sits on His throne in them; it’s like His address to His presence. Praise turns a spirit of heaviness into a garment. Praise is our clothing.

to provide for those who mourn in Zion;
to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
festive oil instead of mourning,
and splendid clothes instead of despair.
And they will be called righteous trees,
planted by the Lord
to glorify him.

Isaiah 61:3

We are clothed with beauty by beholding the Beloved One in whom we are to become like.

What does praise sound like? Say these out loud with me: I will praise you Lord, for you are:

• The King
• Great, and Your Greatness is unsearchable
• Splenderous
• Mighty
• Gracious
• Compassionate
• So Good
• Slow to anger
• Great in Faithful Love
• Faithful in Your words
• Gracious in Your actions
• The Helper
• Righteous in all Your ways
• Faithful in all Your acts
• Near to all who call on You
• The One who Hears
• The One who Guards those who love You

THANKSGIVING — This is gratitude and naming His many deeds.

My soul, bless the Lord,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
² My soul, bless the Lord,
and do not forget all his benefits.

Psalm 103:1-2

We consistently remember when we walk through hard things what God has done.

I will remember the Lord’s works;
yes, I will remember your ancient wonders.
¹² I will reflect on all you have done
and meditate on your actions.

Psalm 77:11-12

When life gets hard, we may pray, we may cry, we may lament like the lepers. (read more about that here) But if we stop there, we will miss the deeper work of Christ in the midst of the hard. Where praise gives us access to His presence. This is where the Light that refines us, purifies us, and transforms our darkness. We must learn to praise in the waiting, in the hurting, in the empty, in the lack, in the less than, in the need, and in the dark when we can not see. It is in and through that we gain a perspective we would not know.

A little beauty

Thanks for Listening,

Starla