One of the liturgical
responses in the Anglican tradition of worship is, “It is RIGHT to give our thanks
and praise”.
What I so love
about this response is threefold: It can be said regardless of one’s emotions
at the time because it is TRUTH that praise and thanks is always the right
response; It is SIMPLE as it moves our focus from self to the eternally, unchanging
One; Yet POWERFUL as we can then escape our present state and move into a peaceful,
eternity-focused one.
As I was
driving to work this morning I saw a dead, unidentifiable, animal carcass on
the side of the road. My heart became heavy as I drove through what is such
beautiful country-side, thinking of what a wonderful gift this land is from God,
but also of how this place is also one where many are spiritually dead, or are
dying from their continued rebellion…I began to grieve over the hardness of
heart and of the desire to be self-sufficient…Over inter-generational brokenness
so blatantly in the face of people, while they still cry out, “No God! I don’t want or need You!”
It was then
I made a conscious decision to praise my God regardless…
I began to
meditate as I drove on Him.
Upon Him who
is LOVE.
Upon Him who
is unchanging.
Upon Him who
set ME apart and made me His Own, long before I did anything to serve Him.
Upon Him who
saw me inside my mother’s whom and still chose to save me, even knowing all the
rebellion and sin I would commit.
Upon Him who
saw me, just as He sees all, lost and in desperate need.
Upon Him who
is the beginning and the end, seeing so much more than I.
It was a
split-second decision but one that was RIGHT…I began to sing thanks and praise
to Him, praying for Him to make a way in this place and meditating upon His
faithfulness as I drove. These are the lyrics that came and I simply sang over
and over and over:
I want to praise you, with all of my
heart,
I want to praise you, for I’ve been
set apart,
You are mine, You’ve made me Your
own,
Abba, Father on Your throne, I want
to praise You.
You see, I
know I don’t have the answers. I am NOT the saviour and my vision is limited.
But what I do know is that I am His
daughter, He is with me, and it is always RIGHT to give my thanks and
praise.
I believe
with all of my heart and mind that thanks and praise is POWERFUL. That prayer
and praise invites our Father into the lives of others we interact with. I believe prayer
and praise is the catalyst for Christians bearing fruit because it is
RELATIONAL and it is the relationship with God through the forgiveness of sins
and spiritual rebirth through Jesus Christ that we must offer.
May we never forget that is RIGHT to give our thanks and praise and to practice it.
May we never forget that is RIGHT to give our thanks and praise and to practice it.
Love
Melanie.
