astound

Thursday, March 28, 2019 (6:59 a.m.)

Most Dear and Blessed God,

Thank You. Your love astounds me. Yes. Astound.

Just as I was preparing to ask You where in Your Word should I go, here is the answer. Psalm 100. It has it all. Five short verses. Starting with, “Shout with joy to the LORD, O earth!”

Yes! Oh Father how I do “Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before Him, singing with joy” (v. 2).

“Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us and we are His. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture” (3).

It is our love and trust in You that allows us to hope each and every day. Thank You Father.

The mere idea that we get to “Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and bless His name” (4) truly astounds me. The freedom that following You allows us is mind boggling.

Switching now to The Passion Translation, with what is called “A song for thanksgiving” I begin again at verse one. “Lift up a great shout of joy to the Lord! Go ahead and do it - everyone, everywhere!”

Yes Father. Everyone. Everywhere. Thank You for teaching us through these years of the importance of shouting to You with joy.

“As you serve Him, be glad and worship Him. Sing your way into His presence with joy!” Not a manufactured, this is the way we do it in church kind of thing. No. True, absolute, heartfelt rejoicing! Thank You Father.

“And realize what this really means - we have the privilege of worshiping the Lord our God. For He is our Creator and we belong to Him. We are the people of His pleasure.” Privilege! Honor. Pleasure. Yes Father, thank You for Your Truth. And Your call on our lives.

“You can pass through His open gates with the password of praise. Come right into His presence with thanksgiving. Come bring your thank offering to Him and affectionately bless His beautiful name!”

Cursing doesn’t get us there. Neither does grumbling, grousing nor record keeping of wrongs. Nope. It’s praise and thanksgiving that open the gates to You. Thank You Father for all You have done to make it so.

“For the Lord is always good and ready to receive you. He’s so loving that it will amaze you - so kind that it will astound you!” And it does! Truly.

“And He is famous for His faithfulness toward all. Everyone knows our God can be trusted, for He keeps His promises to every generation!” You are and You do. Thank You!

This is where I go back to The Life Recovery Bible and the comment I found there. “100:1-5 We always have reasons to rejoice:”

Even that Truth took me time to accept! When all is not to my liking I am still called to rejoice? I didn’t think so. What about when fear set in? Rejoice! Thank You Father.

“We live in God’s presence, under His continual care, and we experience His love each day.” Holy God, You remember how long it’s taken me to truly trust You. All those years ago when my level of authority was: earthly father, husband, Heavenly Father. In that order, with no willingness to change.

And then You shifted everything with me. Aligned my priorities with Yours. “Each time we come into His presence, our heart should be filled with gratitude and praise.” And it is! Because of Your astounding love for each of us.

“God never stops showering us with His love; He always keeps His promise to help us when we call on Him.” Take this RECOVERY COMMENTARY NOTE for example. You are Who brought me here to trusting and depending on You in the first place.

Thank You Father. Praise You!

Use me this day. Exactly as You know is best. To Your good and to Your glory. You know the prayers of my heart for those who are hurting and in desperate need of Your healing. Be exactly Who and All we are crying out for.

Oh how we love You. This I ask in Your Son’s most holy name. Thank You Father. I love You. Use me. Amen.

(709 words ~ 7:56 a.m.)