Sing Praise

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song. – (Psalm 95:1-2, NIV)

Come, let us sing praise to the Lord! Let us shout praises to the Rock who saves us. Come and worship Him with songs of thanks. Let us sing happy songs of praise to Him. – (Psalm 95:1-2, ERV)

Come, let’s shout praises to God, raise the roof for the Rock who saved us! Let’s march into His presence singing praises, lifting the rafters with our hymns! – (Psalm 95:1-2, MSG)

Mandates that place restrictions on corporate worship are stirring an already boiling pot. However, we must remember that we are not limited in our capacity to worship by the four walls of a church building. For me, some of my sweetest times of worship are found while I am driving, as my heart is flooded with gratitude and I cannot help but sing along with the songs of praise that are playing on my radio. Yes, there is something powerful that takes place when a body of believers gathers and lifts up songs of praise together, yet He can move mightily in the midst of our own place of presenting thanks to Him. 

This pandemic is pushing people past their limits, yet the number of people impacted by illness, continues to climb. A few months ago, I did not personally know anyone directly impacted by COVID. Now, there are family members and friends who have experienced the impact personally.  In fact, an extended family member has perished, due to complications created by COVID. Absolutely, we must lift our voices in praise, yet there are ways to do so safely without worrying about increased risk of exposure. I don’t claim to know the right answer, but the God I serve, does. For now, my voice will be raised for all of my days, whether corporately or individually. May we ever seek the Lord and lift our praise to Him, trusting Him to lead us and guide us and show us how to contend for God to bring help and healing to our state, nation and world. Lead us in love, Lord.

Let every heart,

Lift praise unto You;

In song and action,

May Your love break through.

Teach us to trust You,

When things don’t make sense;

Direct all our steps,

And be our defense.

Please protect our hearts,

Body, mind and soul;

Show us how to love,

As love is the goal.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are good, loving and kind, and worthy of all of our worship. Thank You for Your grace and strength as we grow weary of restrictions and isolation. Forgive us for forgetting that worship is not merely a corporate time of singing together, but it is a lifestyle that seeks to honor You. Show us how to worship You daily, as it is all about You. Lead us to love those around us as You do, so that all might find hope, encouragement and strength in You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we worship and praise You with all that we are and all that we do. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

I will sing the Lord’s praise, for He has been good to me. – Psalm 13:6

Defense Against Discouragement

Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song. – (Psalm 95:2, NIV)

Come and worship Him with songs of thanks. Let us sing happy songs of praise to Him. – (Psalm 95:2, ERV)

Come face-to-face with God, and give thanks; with loud and joyful voices, praise Him in songs. – (Psalm 95:2, VOICE)

 

The best defense against discouragement and frustration, is praise and thanksgiving. Yesterday was a bit of a battle for me. Between fending off a doozy of a headache and a report of less-than-stellar student behavior during my absence on Monday, it was a struggle to operate from a space of gratitude and joy. Thankfully, I have incredible colleagues, and the blessing of positive and encouraging interactions with them throughout my day, made all of the difference in how my heart was held. I am certain that taking the opportunity to give mom a quick call during my planning period helped too. By the time I arrived at high school gymnastics practice to warm, friendly greetings by the girls and fellow coaches, joy and gratitude were back in their proper place, and practice flew by. Days such as these, I am so grateful for the people that He has placed in my life to remind me of what truly matters. May we ever come before the Lord with thanksgiving and praise Him with song; for He is good and His love endures forever.

As I mentioned, I was blessed to get a hold of Mom during my planning period in the morning yesterday. Speaking to her before her first out-patient speech appointment was good, as I know she was a bit nervous for the new, yet excited to continue to move forward on this journey of healing. Thankfully, I had the pleasure of checking back in with Mom last evening to hear how her first appointment had gone. Although it was the usual assessment to establish a starting point, she really liked the speech therapist, and was encouraged by the work he initiated and the hope that lies ahead. Additionally, now that she has been to an out-patient appointment, the other new upcoming therapy appointments are less daunting. For all of these things, we give thanks.

 

When discouragement,

Or frustration come;

Combat them with praise,

To the Holy One.

Despite what we see,

There’s always reason;

To give thanks to God,

In each new season.

For life and for breath,

For hope, strength and peace;

So many blessings,

By grace, He’s released.

Let us rise and praise,

Give thanks where it’s due;

All unto the Lord,

Whose love’s ever true.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that in You we have reason to give thanks and sing songs of praise unto You, in every season. Thank You that even in a time that feels heavy, You are present and ready to carry the weight. Thank You that as we lift our burdens unto You and give praise where praise is due, we are able to navigate the way true. Forgive us for losing sight of gratitude in the grip of the grind. Teach us to keep our eyes on You, so that our perspective is eternal rather than on the temporary. Show us how to love those around us in the midst of their heaviness, so that they too may find reason to give thanks. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we give You praise and thanks for all of our days, for You are always good. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him; all the upright in heart will glory in Him! – Psalm 64:10