Praiseworthy
Have you ever taken anything or anyone for granted by not paying attention to the ordinary things?
It’s so easy to take the ordinary things that occur so commonly in our lives for granted. We often do not realize how much we take for granted until it is removed or lost. The same holds true about God and how involved He is in our ordinary affairs of life.
We can take too many things in life for granted without reflecting on how involved God is in our possession of them. When we fail to recognize His works, we also fail to give Him the thanksgiving and praise He is due.
In Psalm 107 it says 4 times - “Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!”
The final verse in Psalm 107 offers sound advice for anyone to consider and put into practice. After 42 other verses dealing with the things that have happened to people and speaking of God's involvement, it says, “Whoever is wise will observe these things, and they will understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.”
When you pay attention to how involved God is in your ordinary and emphasize the presence of God in your life, you become more and more aware of His ever-present realness in your life. This empowers you to practice appreciation for how amazing a privilege that is. You get to learn to give thanks and praise to Him for His lovingkindness and desire to know you and let Himself be known by you.
If you are waiting for something absolutely amazing before you open your mouth to praise Him, you are missing out! You are letting the devil shortchange you! His goodness is already at work on your behalf. It has been at work, and it is still at work right now!
Have you learned to be so aware of His nearness that you cannot stand it anytime it feels like something is trying to get between you and Him?
Are you persuaded about His love and faithfulness? He demonstrated His love by giving His Son for us; “even while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
When it comes to His lovingkindness and faithfulness, it is not about what you bring to the table! It is who He is and what He brought to the table already! Being persuaded in this way can be powerful.
Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul had become so persuaded of this particular truth that he could endure all kinds of hardships during his journey. He could thank and praise the Lord in all kinds of difficult circumstances because he was persuaded of God’s love in Christ! His lovingkindness is praiseworthy all the time! When we observe His faithfulness in our ordinary, we become more and more aware of His lovingkindness, and He becomes more and more praiseworthy to us.
