“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 NIV
Today I want to praise the Lord with you. I want to shout aloud, or write, to the Rock of my salvation. I want to come before Him with thanksgiving.
As you may know, I am a teacher and my summer break is coming to an end next week. Gone will be the leisurely schedule I kept this summer. It will be replaced with the hustle and bustle of getting my kids out the door, teaching sweet 4th graders all day, coming home to make dinner, doing a few things around the house and back to bed to start it again the next day.
One of the changes that I will be implementing this year to my morning schedule will be walking. Three years ago, my body changed. I have been diagnosed with some form of arthritis. The doctors aren’t even sure what it is, but it affects my joints and both my knees show signs of damage. I have struggled to walk since then. I’m on medicine that works some of the time.
At the start of the summer, I made to decision to walk in the mornings. My body clock likes to wake up around 5. I get up, read my Bible and pray for about 30 minutes. I slip on my tennis shoes, grab a water bottle, and head out the door for a 30 to 40 minute walk. I plug in my earphones and listen to sermons on different podcasts.
You may be thinking, walking 30 to 40 minutes is not that big of a deal, and maybe for you it’s not. But 3 years ago, I couldn’t walk to the bathroom without help from Kurt. I spent a good bit of time in bed waiting for a miracle or for a doctor to have an answer or for a new mediation to work.
Every morning as I round the corner at the end of my street, I thank God I can walk. Everyday I do the same thing because 2 months into this, I still can’t believe I can go for long walks and function the rest of the day.
Last summer when Kurt and I went to New York, we walked a lot. But each evening, I would collapse on the bed in excruciating pain. After a few days, I was spent. I had hit the wall and needed to rest. That day we took a long boat ride and spent more on cabs than we previously had. I came home worn out, but excited about how much I had walked. School started and life got busy. The days of resting when I needed to were gone and the pain became my constant companion once again.
This summer, I have had no pain! In fact, I was able to give up one of my medications. As I write this, I can’t believe it’s true. I have known pain everyday for so long. And this is why I want to shout to you how thankful I am for this relief.
Each step is a marvel to me. My God, heard my cry and answered me. He has given me a gift. He is teaching me how to be grateful for the small things. For the past 3 years, not a day has gone by that I did not quote from the Psalms about how He is my strength or He is my rock. Everyday required dependence on Him.
It wasn’t until this summer that I realized how each step I take comes with a conversation with my God. And so, when the pain went away, the conversation continued. The conversation really has stayed the same. I thank Him I can walk. Even when the pain was at its greatest, I thanked Him for the strength to get where I needed to get. This morning, I thanked Him for the same thing.
You may be in the middle of a trial. You may be struggling with pain like me. You may be struggling with a rebellious teen. You may be in a horrible marriage. Friends, listen to my words. Praise the Lord. Praise Him for the blessing in your life. They may feel like they are hidden. Ask the Lord to reveal His blessings to you. They are there.
Join with me today in praising God for the way He works in our lives. Praise Him for the difficulty because it is drawing you closer to Him. Praise Him for His answered prayers. Praise Him for the miracles He has done in you life. And praise Him for the miracles He will do in your life. He has great plans for you. He is working all things out for His glory. What brings Him more glory than for us, His children, to sing Him praises?
Shout to the Lord! Sing to our God! Praise Him!
Praise Him!
Praise Him!
I say it again, Praise Him!
