July 16, 2017
Summer Sundays-Sunshine for the Soul
Praise Perfect Moments-Part One
When I write words, I always…I always stop and ask myself, “Are these words true?” Then, I ask God the same question… “God, are these words true about You and Your Holy, Righteous character…Are these words true? Am I using the gift of communication You have given to humankind to bring honor and glory to You? Once more God…are these words true?”
This week, I knew the title of my message, I knew the scriptures…but, I felt at peace to just wait…to wait…to wait…
“Hallelujah! How good it is to sing to our God, for praise is pleasant and lovely.” Psalm 147:1
I knew from my own experiences that these words were true…I have experienced the moments when life is hard, and a storm comes crashing into my life, something unplanned, unforeseen, unwanted…and then, God nudges me, reminds me, to lift up my face…to lift my eyes…to lift up my hurting and heavy heart, to the Hope-Giver, the Comfort-Giver, the Peace-Giver, the Strength-Giver…to my Loving Heavenly Father. He hears the faintest whisper of praise. He hears the voice of praise through the brokenness, through anguished tears…And somewhere deep inside, a Hallelujah begins to stir…to awaken, as praise rises up like a beautiful fragrance…pleasant and lovely…exquisite. The psalmist wrote the truth… “It is good to sing to our God.” And David declared in Psalm 22:3, “But you are holy, you who inhabit the praises of Israel.”
This I know…when we lift our hearts and our lives up to praise, to give honor and glory, to respect and to acknowledge His identity…His Authority…His Sovereignty…His Power…His Love…We, His people, enter into His gates, into His Presence, into His Power…into…PRAISE-PERFECT MOMENTS!
This week, I was amazed to hear and to listen to testimonies of God’s people as they shared the truth of how their faithful God met them in pain-filled life moments. He inhabited their cries of trust and of faith…as they whispered their praise and their prayers. And in the midst of their anguish, and pain, they experienced the Presence of their Holy and Loving Heavenly Father…inexplicable…miraculous. These are their stories…
A mom who lost her college-age son in a tragic accident, testified to the goodness of her God as He gave her moments of hope and reassurance in her deepest grief, giving her courage and strength to lift up praise moments to her God…who was gentle, kind, and loving…
A family, walking with their daughter’s serious medical condition-seeking the prayers of God’s people and praising their faithful God as they trust Him with their precious daughter…
A friend who experienced a devastating broken relationship…consequently a broken heart, but found the strength to trust in God, in His goodness, in the friends and family which God had placed in his life. Then on Sunday morning, going to church to praise His faithful God, in spite of the pain in his heart and in his hope…But, that’s right, we know that God inhabits the praise of His people!
A young mom who still grieves over the death of her own mom, her best and dearest friend. Yet, she finds great joy and comfort as her family members have attended church, some for the first time…and she smiles through the frequent tears, to lift her heart to her Loving Father…and to offer up her sacrifice of praise…Praise Perfect Moments.
I hear this story in so many of my friends who are walking with loved ones who are in the midst of their battle for life here on earth…and those whose loved ones are on the final segment of their journeys home…Their praise is good, it is lovely, it is beautiful, and it truly is a sweet fragrance to our Almighty God…Praise-Perfect Moments.
And countless testimonies of persistent prayer…of persistent praise…and of answered prayers…Praise-Perfect Moments.
Today, on this beautiful Summer Sunday, I worshipped and praised my God in my local church… and I listened to a pastor share his amazing journey of discovering Praise-Perfect Moments, in the midst of initial heart-break…and I was blessed…I am thankful that I waited until today to write…
You see, we live in this world, in a culture that is desperate for perfection…for perfect pictures, for perfect performance, for perfect people, for perfect moments. And, it is so easy to miss the gift of Praise-Perfect Moments…I have learned that I cannot wait for perfect moments…but, I must take the gift of today, and offer up my sacrifice of Praise…Praise and thanksgiving to my God Almighty, who takes the moments in my day and uses every one of them…and turns them into the threads He uses to sew, then to clothe me in garments of Praise…Yes, Praise is beautiful, and lovely, and perfect, because we are in His Presence when we lift our hearts to Him. PERFECTION IS FOUND IN HIS PRESENCE…Hallelujah!
On this Summer Sunday, I pray that we stop and be still…and no matter what our moments look like now…may we lift up our eyes and our hearts to our God…to the One who is faithful, worthy of our trust, who is our Life-Giver, our Hope-Giver, our Joy-Giver…the TRUTH…and whisper, or speak, or SHOUT…Praise to God…Praise to Jesus… And, my friend, praise looks good, lovely and beautiful on you, as you enter into the Presence of your FATHER, and His gift of Praise-Perfect Moments. Hallelujah!
Blessings and Joy,
