Praise

I will praise the Lord all my life; 

I will sing praise to my God 

as long as I live.                              Psalm 146.2

Right now it is easy for me to sing praise to my God. I am looking out over an azure blue sea. The only sounds that are intruding into my reverie are the calls of some birds to my right and the sound of the sea breaking on the shore to my left. The scene is idyllic, absolutely perfect. I have enjoyed the most wonderful night’s rest and my whole body is relaxed and totally at peace. I am aware of God’s presence all around me. I raise my head to see the merest patch of white cloud in a blue sky. It’s as if God is saying,“Yes, I’m here.”

But my God is not confined to seemingly perfect days, nor occasional touches of heaven in a grey world. He is familiar with grey. As we allow Him, He inhabits the grey and changes it into a variety of colours for us. This is reality. This present scene of delight and perfection may pass, but my God will always be there ready to comfort, sustain, strengthen and love me. Will I be equally ready to receive, acknowledge and praise Him?

Lord God,

I thank You for this glorious morning and this wonderful setting. I sense we are going to enjoy a great day.

It is easy to praise You in such circumstances. I pray that I might also praise You at all times and in any and every situation.

If it is a choice, then I choose, Lord, to ever praise You. Should I need Your help, I ask for it. My desire is to live my life knowing You, to praise You in all things, to know You in all, to abide in You completely.

I love You, Lord. I praise You. O, I praise You.              Amen.