“The High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy.” Isaiah 57:15 NKJV.
When your faith struggles, bolster it with truth.
My thoughts and comments today are about “the power of praise.”
Feelings of distance need not suggest God’s disinterest. There are times when you feel God is distant, somehow apart from you. That is painful to the soul. You may or may not always feel Him near but He will always be there. When God seems distant, it is more likely that you have moved away from Him than that He has moved further from you. Where can you find God when you do not feel Him near? The answer is simple; “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8 NKJV.
Difficult situations are rarely as unsettling as the emotions they produce. Emotions such as pain, fear, or anxiety can suggest God is not near. Even worse, painful emotions produce a false belief that God does not care. If God cared, we inaccurately reason, He would be there. Our fear is that God is purposefully distant from us. There will be times and circumstances when such thoughts conflict with truth, when such feelings seem to negate faith. When your faith struggles, bolster it with truth.
In the Old Testament, God revealed Himself by compound names. Among those is, “Jehovah Shammah, the Lord Who is there.” Ezekiel 48:35. Where you are, God is there. God reminded a nation in captivity because of their disobedience, that He would always be, “The Lord who is there.” Even the Lord’s loving reproof is never abandonment.
Again, let me ask; where will you find God when you do not feel Him near? Isaiah described God as, “The High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy.” Isaiah 57:15 NKJV. We live in the confines of time; God fills expansive eternity. That could seem intimidating even foreboding, making God seem unapproachable.
The Bible also tells of another place where the eternal God will always be found. “You are holy, You inhabit the praises of [your people].” Psalm 22:3 KJV. Inhabit describes, “a place of permanence, a place to abide continually.” When you do not feel Him near, praise will bring you into His presence – from where you are to where He always is.
God chooses to dwell amid the joyful praises of those who know and love Him. Praise exalts God and welcomes His presence, redirects your thoughts from self-centeredness, releases your emotions from negative expressions, and reorients your focus on all that is good. See Philippians 4:4-9 NIV. Praise glorifies God as is appropriate in all situations. God seeks the company of grateful hearts.
Praise is the simple act of expressing thanksgiving and gratitude, telling God and others what He has done for you. “You are holy. You are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.” Psalm 22:3 NASV. Sincere praise establishes His authority and invites rulership in every circumstance. “Make His praise glorious . . Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise . . I will praise You with my whole heart.” Psalm 66:2/100:4/138:1 NKJV. Read Hebrews 10:22-23 NIV.
Today, I pray for you to know your God is always gracious and ever present.
Christian Communications 2016
Have you taken opportunity to “Like” Everyday Life/Facebook?