Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. Yet the Lord set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today. Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt. Fear the Lord your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes. Your forefathers who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky. Deuteronomy 10:14-22
This ends our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
The Webster-Merriam dictionary defines praise as expressing a favorable judgment or commending…it’s also glorifying something or someone especially by the attribution of perfections. The word “praise” is derived from the Middle English word preisen which came from the Anglo-French word preiser, priser meaning to appraise and esteem.
There are many things we can praise in life. We might praise a person for great things they have done. We might praise something we see as being noteworthy. We typically have no problem showing praise to things of the world. But how well do we show praise to the One through all these things are possible?
This is the point in our passage today, the final verses in Chapter 10, as Moses attempts to open the eyes of Israel to God…their God…the One who was to be their praise.
Moses begins by reminding Israel, and us, that all things we know are from God, the Almighty Maker of heaven and earth. He states, “To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.” In other words, everyone belongs to God and as we studied in a previous lesson, we are His treasured possession.
Indeed, He treasures everyone and shows no favoritism or partiality. He “defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.” And He expects His people to do the same. He reminds Israel that they were once aliens themselves when they were in Egypt. Their numbers were few then, seventy in all at first. But now, on the brink of the land promised to their forefathers…the ones who initially entered Egypt…Israel’s population was vast…made by God to be as “numerous as the stars in the sky.” And now look at our world today…a multitude, all with the opportunity of life forever.
For through Jesus, the gates of heaven were cast open for Jew and Gentile. All who believed and trusted in Him would have the promise of eternal life and no one would come to the Father except by way of His Son...the One who is the Way and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)…the slain Lamb of God who is worthy to receive “…power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" (Revelation 5:12) Truly, we are a blessed people…a people who belong to a mighty, awesome God.
Friends, this mighty, awesome God is to be our praise. And we should lift Him up and glorify Him with every breath we take through every day He blesses us with for all things are by and through Him. My hope is that we all will live the words of one of my favorite hymns, All Creatures of Our God and King. The lyrics are as follows:
All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou rushing wind that art so strong
Ye clouds that sail in Heaven along,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou flowing water, pure and clear,
Make music for thy Lord to hear,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou fire so masterful and bright,
That givest man both warmth and light.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Dear mother earth, who day by day
Unfoldest blessings on our way,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
The flowers and fruits that in thee grow,
Let them His glory also show.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
And all ye men of tender heart,
Forgiving others, take your part,
O sing ye! Alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and on Him cast your care!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
And thou most kind and gentle Death,
Waiting to hush our latest breath,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou leadest home the child of God,
And Christ our Lord the way hath trod.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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