How to live praise.

Outside my bedroom window is a tall birch tree.

It stretches its white-barked arms high toward heaven. Right beside it stands a cherry tree. It dwarfs in comparison to the birch–only half its height–the dark branches bowing their humble heads. But the cherry tree is dazzling white with blossoms, the promise of summer’s bounty.  Below both of these trees is … dirt. The dirt isn’t doing much at all. No blossoms, no beautiful branches stretched high. But I’m sure glad the dirt is there!  And the dirt is doing exactly what it was made to do. Being dirt.

And praising God.

Psalm 148 tell us how everything brings God praise:

Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights above.
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for at his command they were created,
and he established them for ever and ever—
he issued a decree that will never pass away.

Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do his bidding,
you mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
wild animals and all cattle,
small creatures and flying birds,
kings of the earth and all nations,
you princes and all rulers on earth,
young men and women,
old men and children.

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
And he has raised up for his people a horn,
the praise of all his faithful servants,
of Israel, the people close to his heart.

Praise the Lord.

The birch tree out my window is praising the Lord. The cherry tree is too, and so is the dirt. How? By being and doing exactly what God created it to be and do. Simple. No stress, no striving, no jealousy or competition. Just rest, life … praise. Could it be the same for us? 

You don’t have to be like her.

You don’t have to look like her.

You don’t have to have a ministry like hers.

You don’t have to have a house like hers.

You don’t have to have kids like hers.

You don’t have to take to your bed in sorrow when the world tells you you’re dirt.

Even dirt can praise God.

It brings God praise when we exult in, rest in, rejoice in, who He made us to be.  As He allows painful trials, it isn’t that He’s destroying us, He’s simply helping us become more of who He made us to be. More ourselves. More fully able to bring Him praise. 

Who are you? 

Today He created me to love one man and two little squirrels. To clean the bathroom, read books about bugs, and write a few words in between. That’s how I’ll bring Him praise today…

What about you? By simply being and doing what He created you to be and do, How will you bring Him praise today?