Devotionals

---

I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shout of joy;
Psalms 27:6b

Once we realize that we are love and we have given everything to God, we can then go out and help others. Remember, this can be a sacrifice, at times. We are now more aware of the pain of others and the poverty of money and services for people, but the deep loneliness and poverty of love experienced by many, as well. This is prevalent, and we might feel overwhelmed when we first become aware of this poverty.

We see this deficiency in some families when both parents have to work to support their children, and the children are busy being with their friends or outside activities. There might not be much—if any—time left to spend with family and talk about what is going in each other’s lives. We sometimes see this same problem in people who are older and who seem to be on the outskirt of society. Perhaps they live in nursing homes and don’t get many visitors. These people need love!

This deficit can make us feel like there is nothing we—as individuals—can do. But we can help! We can love and accept the people we meet each day. At work, we can let our co-workers know when they have done something well, and we can acknowledge them when they help us in some way. We can listen to our children and ask questions about their life. We can pray with our family, even if it is only for five minutes a day. Those five minutes can make a very big difference. We can also attend church with our family. We can smile at the people we meet each day. It is amazing what a simple smile can do.

Once we reach out and share the love we have received from God and know we are loved, the joy we experience can be truly wonderful. We feel free! And we are free—free from the hold of wanting more and more material things; free from the attachment of money and fame. We know our weaknesses, and we don’t have to put ourselves down because of them. After all, God doesn’t put us down, so why should we?

Sometimes when I’m at church, I feel this joy very strongly and move to the music. Sometimes I feel like dancing all over the church (though somehow I don’t think that would be a good idea)! However, this is the kind of joy I am trying to share with you. I express this joy through dance, music, lecturing at church, and hopefully through my ministries. How you express your joy may be totally different. Yours may be a very quiet joy, best expressed in a calm manner. That is wonderful. Every person is different. The point is that this joy is something the world can not give us. It comes directly from God.

We can share this joy with others, though. We can express the love we feel for each other. We can share our love of nature, or we can touch someone who is hurting. God is very much present is these situations, and we can then say, “Thanks be to God!”


I will sing and chant praise to the Lord.
Psalm 27:6c

How can we sing and chant praise to God? One way we can do this is by waking each morning and realizing this day is a gift from God! He has given us another day to grow in faith and love, and to share this love with the people we meet. We can praise God by appreciating the gifts He has given us and by using them the best way we know how to bring His love to others. We must realize the gifts He has given us are not meant to be hidden. We must realize that any success we have is due only to God, and we should use the gifts He has given us. It is kind of a partnership we have with our Heavenly Father.

We can even praise God by looking at a remarkable sunset and thank Him for creating it. We can look in the eyes of a trusting child, and realize God is there. When two people who have been mad at each other reconcile their problems, we know God is present. It is easy to forget that God is present in those (and many more) situations, but we can try to be more aware His presence, and thank Him for the wonderful peace He brings.

We can praise God with music, dance, drama, writing, art, and other ministries in the community and in the church. There is beauty when you see someone dance to a sung prayer or someone singing deep spiritual words from the heart. Let these things touch you. There are likely as many different ways to praise God as there are people.

In what way do you praise God? Do you praise Him in silent prayer? Through music? By visiting people who are lonely or sick? What gifts has God given you to share? You may need to reflect a moment and pray for God to show you the gift he has bestowed upon you. You might be surprised to discover the gifts God has given you that you didn’t even realize you had.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE