I was commenting to my wife this past Wednesday that I felt kind of weird enjoying the sunny pleasant weather in PA while people in Florida are experiencing a hurricane and tornadoes. I then realized how important it is to be grateful to God every day and praise Him for his Loving Kindness and daily Tender Mercies. We are to praise Him in the good times and in the difficult seasons of our lives. King David knew this. He would daily praise God on the harp. But not only did he praise God, he sung unto the Lord with thanksgiving and gratitude. Psalm 147:7 says: “Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God” The EHV Bible says it this way: “Respond to the Lord with thanksgiving”. So as part of our praise, we should respond to the Lord with gratitude and thanksgiving. This pleases God’s heart and is part of REAL worship and praise! Many people in churches today enjoy the worship experience, but they are not really praising God. They are just singing along as part of the group experience. They are not really grateful to God, nor do they offer thanksgiving to God. Jesus once said in Matthew 15:8: :These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me”. Wow, that is very revealing. My question to you is: Are you daily praising God with a grateful heart? Are you mixing your daily praise with genuine thanksgiving? Our Lord Jesus knows our hearts, and gratitude and thanksgiving pleases HIm. What does God see when your praise goes up to His Presence?
Inspiration and practical wisdom for everyday life
