Praise the Lord at All Times!

Psalm 34:1-3

1 I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.  2 I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.  3 Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.

One of my favorite Psalms is Psalm 34.  I love the first three verses that fall from David's lips from his heart.  I am reminded by these words that as a child of God His praise should be on my lips...AT ALL TIMES!  Whether I am on the mountain tops of life or the deep valleys of life or anywhere in between, I am able and should praise the Lord at all times!  I am also reminded by David's words that as a child of God I am invited and encouraged to praise God with my brothers and sisters in Christ.  I love those words, "Let us exalt his name TOGETHER."  This reminds of those times playing and coaching basketball.  There were days when all the kids I coached were out of the gym, and I would stay and shoot a little.  I loved shooting the ball from half court, and every now and then I would make one.  I would be excited about making the shot, but no one was there to see it.  No one was there to celebrate with me or high-five with me.  I loved practices, but I loved the games even more.  When a kid I coached did something to help the team win, we would high-five each.  Teammates would get excited.  As brothers and sisters in Christ, we have the privilege of worshiping our great God TOGETHER.  We have many opportunities of celebrating and getting excited about God's goodness TOGETHER.  Let's be found as children who praise the Lord at all times...when we are alone and when we are together.  Let's be found as children who praise the Lord at all times...no matter what we feel like and no matter what the circumstances may be.  LET US PRAISE THE LORD AT ALL TIMES!!!

God's Unfailing Love

Psalm 107:8-9

8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, 9 for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

This past weekend we celebrated Easter.  Jesus lived a perfect life.  Jesus died a sacrificial death.  Jesus rose from the grave victoriously.  I love that old hymn, "Because He Lives."  The words ring loud in my heart and in my ears: "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.  Because He lives, all fear is gone.  Because I know He holds the future, my life is worth the living just because He lives."  In Psalm 107, God reminded me this morning that His great love for us is UNFAILING!  What Jesus has done and what Jesus is still doing changes us forever and ever!  He loves us.  He went to the cross for us.  He rose from the grave for us.  Jesus is God's demonstration of His UNFAILING love for us.  Today, this Monday after Easter, let us give thanks to the Lord for His UNFAILING love.  As the Psalmist said in Psalm 107, the Lord "satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things."  God's UNFAILING love is not something that we deserve or that we earn; it is His good, good gift to us.  We simply receive it.  I am thankful today for the opportunity to repent of my sins.  I am thankful today for the opportunity to receive God's UNFAILING love through Jesus.  God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good!  God's UNFAILING love is available to me and to you.  Praise God for His UNFAILING love!!!