I exalt You, my God the King, and praise Your name forever and ever. I will praise You every day; I will honor Your name forever and ever. Yahweh is great and is highly praised; His greatness is unsearchable. One generation will declare Your works to the next and will proclaim Your mighty acts. I will speak of Your splendor and glorious majesty and Your wonderful works. They will proclaim the power of Your awe-inspiring acts, and I will declare Your greatness. They will give a testimony of Your great goodness and will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. Psalm 145:1-7
My words…
Praise
How thrilling it is to consider Your wonderful works! I reflect on Your splendor during this spring season, and my mind fixates on flowers. I compare Your glory and majesty to the very blooms You created. Your children, young and old, are drawn to their beauty; we gather them into vases and bring them into our homes. We adorn ourselves with them on very special days. We offer them as gifts to those we love the most. We place them on the monuments of those we long to remember. In a world of so much ugliness, the sight of just one blossom is a comfort to our eyes – a balm for an aching heart. And, oh the variety! The array of species affirms Your creative power. The shape and texture of the delicate petals declare Your artistic virtue. The hue of each blossom is determined by You because You created color. A graceful flower bathed in sunlight trumpets Your splendor so much more than my words will ever convey!
Prayer for me
King David and the Psalmists expressed praise to You that could only come from a Spirit-filled heart. That same Spirit resides in my heart, but my praise to You sounds stale and common. Nothing that comes before Your throne should ever be common. So I pray that I allow Your Spirit to move me to praise You in a way that is holy and worthy of who You are.
Forgive me
Lord, I am sorry that I do not declare Your mighty works every day of every year. I neglect to praise You as You deserve. It is easier for me to complain to You and repeat my personal petitions than it is to proclaim Your glory as an act of adoration. Forgive me when I do not allow my heart to break open and pour out praise to You.
Prayer for others
Today, Lord, I pray for those whose hearts are not reminded of Your glory when they gaze upon an exquisite flower in bloom. They choose not to believe in the existence of the Creator of that beauty. To them, it’s just a flower. Stir their hearts, Lord. By Your Spirit, use the beauty of Your creation to transform those who have turned their hearts against You. The petals of a vibrant dahlia declare Your glory!
Thank you
The beauty of Your creation is not appreciated by the ant or the warthog or the raven. My fish are not mesmerized by the loveliness of the blooms growing in their pond. The daisies and roses and irises were made for Your children to admire. They were made for me to admire. Thank you, Lord, for this lovely gift.
More praise
Lord, You are beautiful. We, Your people, are drawn to You. We wear You like a corsage and share You like a bouquet. You are a balm for our aching hearts, and we are filled with joy at the sight of You within Your creation. I praise You for Your mighty acts!
