“It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night.” Psalms 92:1-2
God loves a thankful heart. And God loves the praises of His people. It is through praise we have the power to lift our spirits in the midst of distress. The Bible tells us “in everything give thanks to God.” This means we should be thankful to God in the good times, as well as the bad times.
We are living in some unprecedented times. The United States is surging over 13 million cases, and over 263,000 people have died from COVID-19. Millions are infected and fighting for their lives — with billions in isolation or lockdown. Daily the news media informs of the rapid increases across the state, nation and world. This news is alarming and requires all of us to make difficult but necessary decisions.
COVID-19 is spreading so well it has found a way to exploit a good part of who we are. It has found a way to hijack our social nature, our closeness among family and come between our communities of friends. But the Psalmist reminds us that we still have a reason to praise the Lord. We are to praise God in difficult times and never lose sight of putting our trust in Him.
We are to go to bed at night giving God thanks! And then wake up in the morning giving God thanks! For our God inhabits the praises of His people. And God would not be satisfied with us limiting our praises. In other words, keeping our praises to ourselves.
There’s a short illustration about toilet paper. When people were preparing to ride out the COVID-19 outbreak, many shoppers took to the stores, like a plague of locusts. They began to wipe the shelves clean of toilet paper. This created a huge global shortage of toilet paper.
People were hoarding toilet paper and many thought they were horrible. But how much more horrible are they, when we hoard what belongs to God? Hoarding tissue paper is no different than hoarding God’s praise!
We were made to praise God. By praising God, we are fulfilling our purpose! So, repent, and stop quenching the spirit! And whatever you do — don’t keep your praises to yourself!
In this holiday season, we ought to be the most thankful and praising people on God’s green earth! With all that is going on in our world today, our days should be marked with humility, simplicity and integrity. So, let us all be thankful, not only for the things we have, but also for the things we no longer have to have. In everything — “Give Thanks to God!”
Rev. Marion J. Miller is the senior pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church, 1201 Thomas V. Bryant Drive, Jeffersonville. She may be contacted at 812-283-3747 or via email at wesley1201@sbcglobal.net.
