July 19 Full of Praise

Luke 2:20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
 
THE angels had told the shepherds to go and see the Christ child. They described the scene in some detail. Then the shepherds went to the manger and discovered the scene the angels had described. In high spirits, they praised God for the wonder he had done. ‘         This is what happens when people listen to the details. God’s Spirit has inspired men to write God’s Word to instruct us on how to find the Savior. He then informs us what we will come to know as we discover Jesus. God’s Word promises that when we obey the Lord’s directives, we will glorify the Lord. We will give him credit for all matters of our lives. We will praise his name for the good things he has done.
     The apostle Peter gives us an example of this kind of language in 1 Peter 1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade –  kept in Heaven for you.”
     See how these words glorify God. Peter credits God for his mercy to give to us new birth so we can live in a new hope of life everlasting.
     Are you such a witness to the world as the shepherds, as Peter and as countless others who have joyfully praised God for their salvation? I know that there’s plenty of trouble in our world. As I write this, our nation is confronted with an outbreak of violence against our police. We see, too, outrageous mass killings around the world. The abortion mills keep killing unborn children. Greed, malice and ungodly rulers seek to kill and destroy.
     These things are the ways of the world. Do not despair. Live in joy your God has come to rescue you from eternal violence. Live in praise with a heart to love God and love others. Be different, so the world will know God has tells us how to go to “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you.”
 
Prayer: I praise you Father for your eternal gift to my soul. I will live to glorify and praise your name. In Jesus’ love, amen.