every created thing praise Him

Have you ever walked through a park in the early morning?  The birds are singing and the ducks are quacking.  The squirrels chitter and chatter.  I suppose scientists think they can explain what all of those creatures are doing.  But I think that they are praising their creator.  

And now, scientists have recorded the music of the stars!  Please follow this link.  You don't have to read the article, but listen to the recordings.  The first two are individual stars.  The third one is a small cluster of stars.  To me, it sounds very similar to an orchestra tuning up.  And it is but a small cluster!  Imagine what all of the galaxy together sounds like!  Imagine the universe tuning up!  

I love this verse.  EVERY created thing!  Everything?  Well, what is under the earth?  Worms?  Demons? What is in the sea?  Dolphins?  Whales?  What is in the heavens?  Angels?  Stars?

And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever." Revelation 5:13

Psalm 148

Praise the LORD!
         Praise the LORD from the heavens;
         Praise Him in the heights! 
    2Praise Him, all His angels;
         Praise Him, all His hosts! 
    3Praise Him, sun and moon;
         Praise Him, all stars of light! 
    4Praise Him, highest heavens,
         And the waters that are above the heavens! 
    5Let them praise the name of the LORD,
         For He commanded and they were created. 
    6He has also established them forever and ever;
         He has made a decree which will not pass away. 
    7Praise the LORD from the earth,
         Sea monsters and all deeps; 
    8 Fire and hail, snow and clouds;
         Stormy wind, fulfilling His word; 
    9 Mountains and all hills;
         Fruit trees and all cedars; 
    10 Beasts and all cattle;
         Creeping things and winged fowl; 
    11 Kings of the earth and all peoples;
         Princes and all judges of the earth; 
    12Both young men and virgins;
         Old men and children. 
    13Let them praise the name of the LORD,
         For His name alone is exalted;
         His glory is above earth and heaven. 
    14And He has lifted up a horn for His people,
         Praise for all His godly ones;
         Even for the sons of Israel, a people near to Him.
         Praise the LORD!

sometimes it's a sacrifice

Hebrews 13:15 talks about the sacrifice of praise.  I think maybe Psalms does, too, depending on the version you use.  

We used to sing a chorus about that.  "We bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord."  I always wondered what that meant.  How is praise a sacrifice.  I realize the Lord is honored by it, but it isn't a difficult thing to do... right?

Well, then life got tougher.  And I remember being at church, feeling so low that the last thing I wanted to do was sing.  I wasn't angry at God, but I was broken-hearted and it felt like too much effort to open my mouth and join in the happy tune.  But I did.  I joined in less than half-heartedly.  And as I sang, something strange happened.  The burden began to lift a bit.  The joy seemed to invade my heart just a bit.  It had been very difficult to begin the song.  It had been a sacrifice, but God always blesses our sacrifices.

The Bible also says that God inhabits the praise of His people.  He lives there.  Think on that a bit.  One of the best things for me to do when I am having a hard day, a hard week, or just a bad moment, is to praise Him.  Or at least click a button and listen to someone else praising Him. It never fails. Not once.  My situation doesn't necessarily change, but God moves in -- He lives in praise -- and lifts my burden.

This is my last post on the subject - for now at least.

Keep praising!  Don't let the times, the circumstances or your feeling dictate your response to our great God.

thursday thirteen

Thirteen of my favorite praise songs.

1. God of Wonders - Chris Tomlin

2. Doxology 

3. Praise You in This Storm - Casting Crowns

4. Joyful Joyful (Ode to Joy) 

5. All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name

6. Agnus Dei

7. How Great Thou Art

8. Indescribable - Chris Tomlin

9. All Creatures of Our God and King 

10. How Great is Our God - Chris Tomlin

11. Glory in the Highest - Chris Tomlin

12. Calling Out Your Name - Rich Mullens

13. Majesty

predetermined

I've been through a lot of good times.  I've also been through some pretty rough times.  And in all of those times, it has never been difficult for me to continue to praise God.  

One of the reasons?  I determined a long time ago that I would.  I pre-determined it.  No matter what happens, I will praise Him.  And I prayed and asked Him to provide the needed strength to do so, when the time arose.

I love the story of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.  We know them better as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. (I don't know why we call them by their Babylonian names that are tributes to false gods instead of their Hebrew names that are tributes to the Real God.)  You can read it in Daniel 3.  They were commanded to bow to a giant idol and they refused.  Nearby was a huge furnace that had been used for smelting gold for the statue and the king told them they would be thrown in that fire if they did not bow.  They refused still.  And they said (paraphrase), "We know our God is powerful enough to save us, but even if He doesn't, we won't bow."

They predetermined - we will worship God if He intercedes on our behalf.  We will worship Him if He does not.  He is God, either way.

Most of us know the story of Job.  He said, "Though He slay me, still I will praise Him."

We maybe aren't quite as familiar with the story of Habakkuk, but it is a good one.  God had informed Habakkuk that He had raised a mighty and terrible army to come in and capture Israel because of their sinful rebellion.  In the end, (chapter 3) Habakkuk says:

"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
      and there are no grapes on the vines;
   even though the olive crop fails,
      and the fields lie empty and barren;
   even though the flocks die in the fields,
      and the cattle barns are empty,
  yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
      I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!"

These were the things he was fearful of.  Yet, in spite of a bleak future, he determined he would continue to praise God.

In a Bible study I did, we were assigned these verses and asked to make our own list of "even thoughs".  What do you most fear or dread?  Make a list - "Even though.....Yet I will rejoice in the LORD!" There is no circumstance in which I will not praise Him. 

Predetermine it.  

in which circumstance?

In which circumstance will you not praise God?

A few years ago a woman I knew was told that her baby would not live to be delivered.  He had a severe genetic anomaly and she was encouraged to abort him. Of course, she did not choose that option.  She carried her son and we all prayed and prayed.  I believed that God was going to do a miracle.  I was not going to be one bit surprised when that baby was born whole and healthy.  He had many physical manifestations from the genetic problem -- an incomplete heart, incomplete facial structure, stuff like that.

One ultrasound revealed that his heart had been made whole. It was complete and functioning.  What a brave, strong boy.

Miracles don't always look the way we expect them to.   The miracle was that he was born alive.  He was beautiful and complete in appearance.  His brave little heart beat for five hours while his mom, dad, and four siblings were able to get to know him.  His mother saw it as nothing less than answered prayer.

He died in her arms.  

At the funeral we all sang the song Blessed Be Your Name by Tree 63.

Blessed be your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where the streams of abundance flow
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name

Blessed be your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say 
Lord, Blessed be your name

worship

One time a friend said, "There is only one thing we have that we can give to God.  Do you know what it is?"  I said, "Ourselves."  Which I believe is true.  I'm a big proponent of surrender.  But she said, "Our worship."

The past several churches we've attended - going back years- are places where people feel comfortable raising their hands as they worship the Lord.  In one church people knelt, or stood or sat according to what they were led to do rather than worrying about what other people would think.   I love that kind of openness to the Spirit.

The church we go to now has a couple of people who dance a little bit.  A few months ago I was able to visit the Anglican church we used to attend and at the end of the service the South African Pastor was dancing sort of hoe-down style to "I'll Fly Away."  It was joyous!  He wasn't making a spectacle; he was down in an area not everyone could see.  But he was overflowing because he had just returned from Cuba where he had seen God work in mighty ways.  Should we not express that joy?  That worship?  A couple of nearby children joined him and it was wonderful.

I sometimes put on praise music and dance in my worship.  I don't do it in public - it would be a spectacle

My friend Michelle at Just a Minute prays with colored pencils in hand and draws her prayers.  She has examples on her blog.

I sing.  That's not very creative or pleasant, but it is a way I worship.

Sometimes I simply sit.  I try to be as still in body and mind as possible and just listen.  "Lord speak to me."  And I listen.  Especially if there is something specific I am needing direction on.

I read books.  Good books by godly men and women that deepen my faith.  Even fiction frequently leads me to a place of worship.

Sometimes I lie flat out on my face and  just let Him be God.  

I can sit here and look out my window and worship.  Being on a mountain or at a lake or in some other beautiful natural setting always inspires me to praise.

I pray.  I often pray during the singing time at church rather than sing.  So often the words to the songs spur prayers of wonder or confession.  I pray in the car, in the shower, in bed, while watching TV, while reading, while eating, while visiting with friends.  I pray when I shop, when I have questions and problems, when I am overwhelmed.  I pray when I sin, when I am in a tight spot.  I pray.  My prayers are incense that rises up before God on his throne and he delights in them.  (look in Revelation)

What are some ways that you worship?  Or maybe what are some situations or surroundings that are conducive to worship?