Pouting to Praise

Today ended up being a better day than yesterday. However, my day started with several phone calls to weekend pharmacists and doctors. The issue was that the instructions that came with the oral antibiotic that I was prescribed had three warnings that said, “Do not take if you have had a history of Myasthenia Gravis.” I finally received a prescription for a new antibiotic but we had to make a trip to the Kaiser facility in Westminster to pick it up. However, that provided us the opportunity to connect with Christian and Riley and pick up some things I had left in Lakewood.

However, that made us a little getting back to Loveland for my cousin Kayla (Summers) Boyd’s softball game. She plays catcher for the Colorado Springs Thunder. This weekend is the State Tournament for their division. An hour lightning/rain delay provided ample opportunity to visit with family and get some pictures. Kayla’s team is cruising through the winners bracket at this point and I believe I will be able to watch them in the championship game tomorrow.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?  Exodus 15:1-3, 11

The Children of Israel pass through the Red Sea and the armies of Pharaoh follow only to drown as the waters return to their normal state. As the Children of Israel witness this miracle of deliverance by the power of God they rejoice in song. They sing “The Song of Moses.” Just a short time before they had been responding in fear, whining and pouting about their situation. Now praise to the Lord God, the all-sufficient, the “I-will-supply-all-your-needs” God permeates from the lips with rejoicing.

The above verses are some of the more familiar of this longer song of praise and rejoicing. I notice the following in these verses:

1 – Praising God for who He is and what He does is the natural response of our lives.

“I will sing…I will praise…I will exalt..” Verse 11 is a beautiful expression of praise that would be good to rehearse and remind yourself of and use in your time of worship of the Lord. There is no one like Him. He is majestic, awesome and glorious in all that He does as He works wonders for His people. His people today. Remember, He is the “I am” God, not the “I was” God.

2 – The Lord delights in bringing victories to His people

God’s desire is for us to trust Him and to yield to His work in our lives. As we do, He delights in bringing victories over our enemies. He triumphs gloriously, provides us with the strength the we need and becomes “our salvation.” The Children of Israel knew God as the visitor of plagues upon Egypt. They knew Him as the one who brought them out of Egypt into the wilderness with the wealth of Egypt upon their children and themselves. Now they see God as the God of salvation over the enemies who would destroy them.

The Psalmist declared, The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.  May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace! Psalm 29:10,11

3 – Not just your father’s God

“…this is my God, and I will praise him…” It was not enough for the Lord to be the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob alone. Each of the Children of Israel and their descendents were to embrace the Lord God as their God. Still honoring Him for His work in their ancestors and recognizing God’s promise to them, but allowing God to be their God who fulfills His good word and work in them.

It is interesting the in Revelation 15 we see the “Song of Moses and the Lamb.” It is sung by those who have been victorious over the the Beast, his image and mark. In like fashion they recognize God’s strength, protection and intervention as they sing, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!   Rev. 15:3

I believe God desires to hear more praise then pouting from His people. So trust Him to be your strength and your Lord and provide glorious triumphant victories on your behalf.