Inviting Him Closer
Café Menu for Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Today’s Special is: Leave a Seat Open for Him to Join You
Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Debbie Giese
Main Ingredient:
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Psalm 150:6 NIV
Entrée:
I scrubbed the sleep from the corner of my eye, dragged my hands through my hair in a futile attempt to tame the barely slept-on mop, and sank down into the pew. Grateful for the relative darkness, I wondered at the desire to attend church after what had been a heart-wrenching night of checking my teen-aged daughter into a mental health facility.
No one would blame me for sleeping in; in all honesty, few would notice my absence. I wasn’t exactly a regular on Sunday mornings. But, for whatever reason, there I was… standing with everyone else, singing along with the worship band.
I’m trading my sorrows for the joy of the Lord…
Singing is only one way to praise God, but it is the way that brings me closest to Him. Don’t get me wrong, no one asks me to sing on purpose, but God does. Psalm 150 invites us to praise Him with music and song. Psalm 22 tell us that God inhabits the praise of His people (v. 3).
As I praised Him that dark morning, lifting my voice, hands, and heart in unison, His peace flooded me. His arms held me. His finger lifted my chin. Nothing changed in the moment, but as I praised my God, He came closer. I knew He was with me, not just with head knowledge because the Bible tells me so, but in a visceral way.
We are not commanded to praise God because it makes Him feel better about Himself. He knows who He is. Praising God, especially during the storm, reminds us who He is.
We are commanded to praise God because it invites Him into our situations and He comes close when we do. It opens the door to communication. Praising puts our hearts in sync with His.
We were created to give Him glory. To praise.
Take Out:
Whether it is singing, running, writing, praying, praise Him. Extol His virtues. Brag on Him to others. We are all wired differently and will find a way to praise Him in a way that brings Him closer. Find yours.
Dessert:
Father God, as I praise You in this moment of connection, I pray for my sisters to know You. To invite You into their midst through praise, and that in that space and time, You will reveal Yourself more fully to them. You are a God that invites connection; give us eyes to see and hearts to pursue it. For the ones in the storm, Lord I pray that You would wrap Your arms around them and lift their chins so they can see You face to face. In the Holy Name of Jesus, Amen.
© 2015 by Debbie Giese. All rights reserved.
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Originally published Wednesday, 04 March 2015.
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