Thankful, Day Eighty-Nine

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

As a friend of mine likes to remind me, there is a song for everything. Often in conversation, I have been known to sing a note or two with words that fit the repartee. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's meaningful. I'm sure sometimes it's just flat out annoying, which is probably when I think it's the funniest.

3000 years ago, someone started collecting songs, adding to them through the centuries until they arrived at the volume we call the Psalms, sometimes mistakenly called the Psalms of David. Of the 150 Psalms recorded in our Bible, only 75 were actually written by David. Nevertheless, someone saw in these Psalms a song for every situation in life, every circumstance, every spiritual experience, every emotional state. These songs take us through the ups, downs and arounds that we all go through, and give us the light of God and the hope of glory for every day of our lives.

I woke up this morning to a dream that has recurring elements. It was a dream about exercises in frustration and futility, a vision of me trying to get somewhere and accomplish something, and knowing how I ought to be able to get there, but finding myself blocked and befuddled at every turn. Nothing I did worked out right. No matter how hard I tried, no matter how fast I went, no matter who I enlisted to help me, I could not reach my goal. And then I woke up, and the Lord spoke very gently to me, and I began to pray.

And then there was a song. And as I began to sing my song, the presence of the Lord seemed to fill my being. I could truly feel Him with me as I intoned His praises and harmonized my faith in Him. And I'm pretty certain He enjoyed my singing much more than any whining or complaining I could have done. So I think it's good that we approach God with a mouth of praise and a heart of worship. It just sets the tone for everything else He is going to do, and while I'm not certain that the song makes a difference with God, I know it makes a difference in me.

I'm thankful today for the beautiful Colorado sky, the mountains and the wind in the pines. This spring weather is unpredictably awesome, and I'm beginning to find some much needed rest in the Lord. I'm really glad I came.

I'm thankful today for the fellowship I share with the people I love, whether it be in person or on the phone. When people are of one mind, one heart, and one precious faith, there is no end to the good times they can share, and I'm taking all the shared times I can get.

I'm thankful today for the provision of the Lord, who has demonstrated in several ways today just how well He knows my need and how much He cares about meeting it.

Thank you Lord for you blessings on me!