Until a few years ago, Nick saw everything and everyone as either right or wrong. He couldn't for the life of him understand how someone could do anything they knew was wrong. He would shake his head in complete dismay when he and Tom watched criminal after criminal carted off to jail on the television show C.O.P.S. "But why did they do it when they know it's wrong?"
Sweet, simple faith. We adults could use a dose of simplicity when it comes to experiencing God in our lives. As children we were taught to thank God for everything (and we did!) and to sing praise songs with gusto, like "Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah! Praise ye the Lord!" Somewhere along the way we turned our time with God into venting sessions filled with lists of "Here's what I need to make it through today." These approaches to God can backfire and lock out the flow of His peace and Presence since our focus is on ourselves instead of on glorifying Him. We'll never wrap our minds around the mystery of how God works in us but we have the keys to opening the way for Him at our fingertips, the keys of gratitude and praise. The abundant life Jesus promised flows from a spirit of gratitude and praise.
When we can't feel His Presence we can turn the key of "praise" for all the times we've felt His Presence or have known He was with us. Dusting off our mental scrapbooks and praising Him for His Presence with us in specific moments of the past opens the door and invites Him to work in us today. When we're churned up inside with the most recent, most urgent mind-wracking anxieties and problems, we can turn the key of "gratitude" by thanking Him for the Peace He's handing us, even when we don't see it and can't imagine being at peace.
Father, help us keep the doors open between us. Yes, You live in our temples but You don't force Yourself into every room uninvited. Help us swing open every door to You with our thanksgiving and praise. May we offer them when we don't feel thankful as well as when we do. Help us remember to make praise our primary prayer goal. Step over every thresh hold and make Yourself at home. You are welcome, Lord Jesus, enter and bring with You all that Your Presence means. Praise the Lord, oh my soul and all that is in me, Praise the Lord!
"He is here, Hallelujah! He is here, Amen!
He is here, I will praise His name again!"
"While they were still talking about this, Jesus Himself stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'" Luke 24:36
" . . . and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20
"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise -- the fruit of lips that confess His name." Hebrews 13:15
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