"O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants You have ordained praise because of Your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger." - Psalm 8:1-2 (NIV)
The weather here in Tennessee has been incredible this week. Sunshine, with highs in the 60s and 70s! So yesterday, my family and I headed to a local park for a picnic and some "adventure." OK, so adventure to a 2 year old and a 6 year old may not be mountain climbing, but it is fun none the less. Anyway, at one point my 2 year old and my self were sitting under a tree looking at the beautiful blue sky and fluffy clouds and feeling the fresh fall breeze when I began to thank and praise God out loud for what we were looking at. It only took a minute for my little boy to jump in on the praise, too. It was amazing for me as a Dad to hear him praising God for the trees and the sky and basically everything he could see (including cars that were passing on a nearby street). Something in me was moved greatly. I don't think it was just that Daddy place that puts tears in my eyes when I realize how my boys are growing. I think it was Psalm 8:2 being brought to life in my spirit. God was ordaining praise through the lips of a two year old. It's in moments like that, that I realize how much we adults squelch the Spirit of God within us in the name of "maturity." We become too sophisticated, or something, so we don't respond to God in a truly self-forgetful way. Check out this command.
"Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth." - Psalm 47:1-2 (ESV)
Did you catch that? We are commanded to celebrate with outward evidences of clapping, shouting, and songs of joy because the Lord is to be feared! Isn't fear defined as reverential awe? You mean God expects me to be in awe and celebrate?!? This is part of what makes the God of the bible so different than any other so-called gods. He desires to be feared AND enjoyed! WOW!
So why don't we obey this, naturally? One word...PRIDE.
"As God's image bearers, we were made to revel in and reveal His glory. However, because of sin, we 'returned the favor' and remade God in our image, choosing to live for our glory rather than His. The only calling we care about is 'calling the shots.' How broken are we? Apart from God's intervention, we continually look to find our meaning, worth, and purpose anywhere, but in relationship with God. But God has intervened by sending Jesus into our broken world. He has come to restore the Father's image in us, and restore us to God's purposes. Therefore, we are broken to the degree we choose to live for our glory rather than God's glory." - from "Restoring Broken Things" by Steven Curtis Chapman & Scotty Smith, pg 104
So today, I want to repent of the sin that my two year old has no need to repent of...prideful self-awareness. Lord, I pray You grant me the grace to fear You today and enjoy You today. Help me follow the example of the two year old worship leader sleeping down the hall and openly, without reservation express praise and thanksgiving whenever and however You ordain it to come forth. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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It's Thursday after we had our all day staff calendar planning meeting and I'm sitting at Hardees in Lakewood reading Jon's blog. I'm having a rare night off. I would normally be in Knoxville at this time.
I was inspired by Jon's experience with Josiah praising God. My thoughts went back to when my son, Shad, was growing up. I was in a pretty bad place in those days. Shad and I had a lot of time together and I deeply loved him, but I was in a bad place emotionally and spiritually.
I have many regrets that I didn't share the deeper things of the Lord with Shad as he was growing up. I didn't know about the deeper things of God, not that I have all understanding now. I realize I have simply scractched the surface and I continue to be amazed at God's grace in allowing me to know Him at all.
However, I have been reminded that the Lord is restoring that which the locusts have eaten. Shad and I have had many wonderful times in recent years walking together in our relationship with one another and with the Lord. In His sweet grace, the Lord is showing me that it is never too late to have an influence on my son's life. He will be 32 years old on October 26 (I know that must be shocking to many of you because I'm so youthful looking) and I am 57 years old (more shocking revelation) . . . and the Lord is working in such a precious way in our lives.
I have been so inspired by Josiah. We have opportunity through our days to worship and praise our Father -- praise Him in the sunrise and the sunset, praise Him in the rain and dark forboding clouds, praise Him in the darkness of the evening, praise Him for dear friends, for loving family, praise Him for His unspeakable grace and faithfulness, praise Him always for who He is and for who He has declare you to be in Christ Jesus.
I thank God for Jon & Suzanne and for the inspiring examples and influence they are in their boys lives. I praise God for the heart He has placed in them for their family and for our Heavenly Father Himself.
Praise Him as Yahweh Gibbor (The LORD Is Our Victorious Warrior),
Richard Holloman
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