Thoughts
Worthy of Every Praise
Just some early morning thoughts from me to you…
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
Psalm 139: 13-14 (NIV)“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29: 11 (NIV)“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1: 9 (NIV)“…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28: 20b (NIV)
Every praise—to our God.
Every day—to our God.
Why not?
Every praise, every day when we stop to remember—God created us.
The One who is perfect and makes no mistakes—created you and me.
Unique. Wonderful. Exceptional. With plans to prosper us and not to harm us, and with plans for a hope and a future.
And for that gift of our life, and that alone—He is worthy of every praise, and so much more.
And so there are times, when we say—Praise God! Praise the Lord!
When good things happen to us, or to our family and friends. And looking back at our past experiences, the list of reasons to praise our God is long.
We say it, and we mean it.
But deep within there are too many times when we feel despairingly distant from our God. Our God, whom we know is worthy of our praise.
Struggling to get past mountains rising up before us. Valleys too dry and hot to travel. An unexpected illness or financial setback. A loved one lost. Too many things to hold and handle alone.
At the bottom of life. With no strength to move on. And no hope before us to move toward into the future.
Feeling disconnected from the One who we want to believe deserves our praise.
Then we remember, as Jesus did for those He walked among over two thousand years ago, He does for us today.
Jesus went around finding people where they were and took them where they ought to be. He lifted and walked with them beyond failure, despair, heartache, and hopelessness—to a life of hope and a future with Him.
And He does the same for us, each and every day of our lives.
Shining a light on the steps before us. Never leaving us. Always lifting us to all we were created to be.
Jesus our Savior. Our Healer. Our Deliverer. Our Creator. Our Friend.
Worthy of every praise. Always.
Amen and Amen!
In His Name–Scott
Recent Thoughts
Always Joyful – For Good Reason
The Apostle Paul wrote it. This is the same guy who was imprisoned regularly, lashed five times and beaten with rods three times by his fellow Jews, stoned, shipwrecked three times, constantly on the move and in danger from rivers, bandits, friends who betrayed him, whether in the cities, the country or at sea, and was always hungry, thirsty, and without sleep.
Your Choice – Your Life
My attitude was in the tank and not even close to “half-full” or even “half-empty.” While Jake began praying for a miracle to change my perspective, I saw to it that all friendly conversation ground to a halt as irritation now governed my focus. And then he appeared out of nowhere.
Good Success – Don’t Come Up Short
We live in a world in which a life of success is defined in terms which will never satisfy. The world defines “success” and “successful people” in terms of the size of their bank accounts, the number and types of cars parked in the garage, the size of their home, degrees, resumes, trophies and awards, their job, their image or status in the community, the number of boards they serve on, and the busyness of their days. By those standards, Mother Teresa would be an abject failure.