Spring

Despite getting up while it's still dark outside...

Despite 30 degree mornings...

Despite cold, rainy days...

SPRING IS HERE! 

The new life it brings is gently unfurled...

 

It reaches forth in splendor...

 It stands quietly in a corner...

 

It gives bright hope for the future...

It graces with its presence...

And it freely shares its joy, its life, its hope, its beauty

with all who will just take the time to stop... and look.

"Do not have your concert first, and then tune your instruments afterwards. Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get first of all into harmony with Him." ~Hudson Taylor

Praising God

Halleluh, halleluh, halleluh, hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord...
I have known this song for pretty much as long as I can remember. I've sung it at the top of my voice, I've sung it sitting down and standing up. But never once did I actually stop and consider what it means.

What does it mean to praise God? Is it just saying, "Praise God!" or "I praise you Lord for doing such-and-such"? Or is there more to praising God than that?

I was fine and content praying to God in my monotonous way, "I praise you for such-and-such," without really thinking whether I was actually praising God or not. That is, I was content until I came across Psalm 150:1 one day and wondered what it actually means to praise God. So decided to look up the meaning for the word praise. The definition I found was kind of surprising.

The Hebrew word for praise (halal) means: to be clear (orig. of sound but also of color); to shine; hence to make a show, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; to celebrate. Hmm... that's interesting. It sounds like what people are doing to movie stars. So praising God is boasting about Him, and raving about Him! God reminded me that I do that with physical things - food, people, books, movies, clothes - when I really like them. I know how to praise, and my God just wants me to rave and talk about how great He is; after all, He does deserve it!

One Thing is Needful

So many times everything that has to be done just presses around me, screaming for attention. So I get busy. In fact my day stays busy as I think, "I've got to do this, and this, and this..." I try to do what needs to be done, but I forget to put the most important thing (or person) first.

Martha also had this problem. Jesus had to stop her and tell her, "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled with many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41-42)

One thing is needful. Just one. Sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning from Him. Nothing else really matters. All those things that seem to be important pale in comparison to this. Those things will be taken away, but what is learned by just sitting at the feet of Jesus will never be taken away.