Stay Here

II Kings 4 - And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.

This is another example of a godly woman making room for a godly man on the roof of her house.  She recognized this man (Elisha) as being a “holy man of God” and she wanted to make him welcome in her home anytime he was near.

It so happens that this same woman had no children, so Elisha prayed and she bore a child.  Later, this child died.  Elisha showed up, prayed, and the boy came to life again. What an incredible story of faith, despair, hope, and a miracle.

I can’t help but wonder if the lady had not obeyed and prepared a place for this man of God if she would have experienced her miracle.  Perhaps she would have.  But the cool thing about the story is that she recognized the presence of God.  And even when her son passed, she stated, “Everything is all right.” (vs 24).  This woman had incredible faith.

I hope that I recognize the presence of God when it’s near, and I hope that I  make room for his presence to reside where I live, covering me, protecting me and being there for me…always. 

Two Views

II Samuel 11 - One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her.

I don’t like this story.  A man goes atop his roof and looks over at a woman with wrong intentions, and we read further to see that he acts wrongfully towards her, gets her pregnant, and even kills her husband!  This is one of the biggest sins I can imagine!  And yet later in the bible, it says David is a man “after God’s own heart!” What?

Let’s go back to the roof, first.  This is the same spot where spies were hidden and rescued, where covering takes place, and where great conversations are happening, and yet now it’s a place to look over and see something that should not have been seen.  And that one look led to multiple sins.

If we read later in the bible, David is fully aware of his sin, totally repents, and trusts God like no other.  And how can we judge?  Aren’t we also capable of taking the very place of refuge, covering, and intimacy with God and corrupting it with our thoughts or actions?

“From the roof” – a high place with a great vantage point – must be a place that we hold sacred and clean – or it can become a place with a view that will surely cause us to stumble and fall on the hard ground below.

View from the Roof

I Samuel 9 - After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house. They rose about daybreak, and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way.” When Saul got ready, he and Samuel went outside together.

We discussed a few days ago how the roofs of houses were often protected with a low wall, so oftentimes people took their guests up there to rest or to converse.  Such is the case here.  Samuel had dined with Saul, and now he was conversing with him on the roof of his house, early in the morning. 

If we tried this gesture to our guests in our culture, they might think we are crazy – and we would be!  Especially if our roof is sloped!  But stop and think how cool it would be to take your guests to a high place that overlooks your neighborhood, early in the morning, to chat a while before they leave.

Talking on a roof, where we can look far and wide, instead of inside a home, where we can only see what’s just out the window, sounds like a great way to gain perspective where we live.  The roof was more than just a covering; it was a place where business took place, where conversations and plans were made, and where preparations began for a journey.

I can’t necessarily climb on my roof physically for a fresh perspective, but God often calls me to a “higher” place with him where I sit and see things from his perspective.  And this time with him gives me comfort, peace, and direction as I step back down to level ground and begin my day.

Enjoy some time with him up on the roof, today.

Out on the Roof

Joshua 2: …(But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.)…  So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall.

If you haven’t read this cool story in this chapter, take time to do so.  This woman, who had previously had a checkered past to say the least, took in two spies to hide them, all because she had heard about the miracles God had done and she believed with full faith in Him.  She further believed that if she showed kindness to these men of God by helping them out, she in turn would be shown kindness as well.

I find it interesting to note that instead of inviting the men INTO her house, which would have been shameful considering her reputation, she invited them to the roof atop her house where she had stalks of flax drying out – a perfect hiding place.  She also risked her life by giving them shelter.

The roof in this story is a symbol of the fact that Rahab had indeed turned and was trusting in something other than the life she had been living, and she indeed wanted to put her faith in the God who does great things.  The roof was her protective covering, and she offered it to these two men so that they could be safe.

Did you know the “prostitute” Rahab is mentioned in the bible “hall of fame” in Hebrews 11? 

I love this story of God’s amazing mercy and grace to those who believe, no matter our past.  And I also love the image of this woman of the dark hiding men of the light on her roof, instead of inside in her home, where she usually took in men.

What a great picture of the mercy and goodness of the God we serve to those who simply believe and obey.

Parapet

Deuteronomy 22:8 When you build a new house, make a parapet around your roof so that you may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house if someone falls from the roof.

This string of verses in Deuteronomy 22 is full of practical instruction, with this verse ensuring protection for a new house.  It says to build a parapet around the roof.  So what is a parapet?  It’s a low protective wall along the edge.]

In bible times, houses had flat roof used for storing and drying fruit, as well as for sleeping at times.  So one surely would not want to have those on their roof fall off when up there!  The “guilt of bloodshed” would be on the owner of the house, if a person fell from their roof.  So this parapet offered protection on the roof.

We don’t live in houses with flat roofs, at least I’ve never seen one in my neighborhood.  But we do have insurance now don’t we?  If someone falls and hurts themselves on our property, we are “covered” in case of a law suit.

So far, we’ve read three verses that include the word “roof” and all of them represent protection.  And a flat roof required extra protection of a parapet. 

I’m thinking a lot of analogies can be made with these three verses as to how well our homes are protected from disaster, evil, and now the threat of pointing the finger at us in guilt.

The only thing that protects us from these things is Jesus.  When Adam and Eve sinned, they realized their nakedness and were ashamed.  And we now have a covering for our shame – the blood of Jesus.  He’s our roof and the parapet around it.  We don’t have to live in fear.

Under the Roof

Genesis 19:6-8  Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him  and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.

This is a horror story of sorts.  This city where Lot lived was so full of wickedness that perverted sexual acts were taking place in the streets.  Two angels showed up at Lot’s house and he gave them refuge.  Men of the city showed up at the door asking to have sex with the two “men” they had seen enter Lot’s house.

However, the two angels inside struck the men outside with blindness so that they could not find the door, as they were about to bust it down. You see, the angels had been sent there to destroy the wicked city, and all who were in it, except Lot and his family.

The phrase “under the protection of my roof” once again denotes the importance of a covering to a home.  Had there been no roof on Lot’s home, the locked door would not have stopped the evil from entering.  

However, because Lot housed part of heaven in his home, under his roof, heaven rose up and destroyed the evil outside.

Who and what resides in your home, under your roof?

Make a Roof

I’m starting a study today on the word “roof” in the bible.  Odd, I know, but I invite you to come along with me as I get to the verse about a roof that has been on my mind. I’m hoping to gain clarity about it as we go!

Genesis 6:15-17 This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.

A roof represents covering.  Without a roof, the walls and floor of a home really offer no more than a shell of protection. It’s the roof that covers and keeps out rain, critters, and any other intruders from taking up residence in our house.

This first reference to the word roof is when God instructed Noah how to build the ark.  God was about to destroy all of the wickedness in the world, but prior to this verse it says that Noah was righteous, blameless, and followed God. 

God always provides covering and protection for those who follow him, even if all hell breaks loose around us.  Even if certain death is imminent.  Even if we can’t see two feet in front of us.

God made provision for Noah and those inside the boat to be covered with a roof, so that the flood waters could not come over and swallow them up.

Pretty cool story.  

Tell it to Your Soul

Psalm 103: 20-22 “Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, my soul.”

After reading all of the verses in Psalm 103 over the past several days, we should be full of adoration and praise for the God that loves us and the God we now know much better than we did before.

It’s no wonder that the psalmist ends the chapter by directing all of those in heaven, all of those on earth, all of creation everywhere to praise Him.  And he reminds all of them that they are all in his dominion.  That means they are all under his control, yet He chooses to leave the privilege of praising Him up to us.  It’s up to us to recognize His goodness and respond in praise.

The last part of the chapter finally is written to the writer’s own soul, instructing the very center of his being, to praise the Lord.

We have to make the choice daily to remind ourselves of the wonderful character of the God we serve, of his mighty power and rule over our lives, and then to bow down before him in worship.

I can’t go one day without doing this…or I feel dry, parched, and listless.

Praise the Lord, on my soul, and all that is within me – Praise his holy name!

Established

Psalm 103: 19 “The Lord has established his throne in the heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.”

Have you read placards on old buildings that say “Established in…” and the date is a hundred or more years ago?  It’s fun to take walking tours of small towns and read the history on the buildings and imagine who and what took place there decades ago.

This verse is sort of like a placard about the Lord and his kingdom in heaven.  However, there’s no date mentioned.  That’s because He was, He is, and He always will be.

The Lord established his rule and reign, and there is no beginning or end to it. 

That brings me comfort, because the old buildings we read about can burn and be destroyed.  Businesses come and go, and their owners die out with them.  It’s even sad sometimes to realize what a booming business once existed way back when it was established, with only a small inscription now to tell of what used to be.

Take refuge in the Lord and the peace in knowing that his kingdom is firmly rooted, untouched and unable to be destroyed, and it is just as vibrant now as it was…and always will be.

Remember to Obey

Psalm 103: 18 “…with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.”

This verse is the second half of the one we wrote about yesterday, about how God’s love goes on to our family even after we’re gone.

It stands to reason that if abuse, alcoholism, depression, and other maladies affect our children as they grow up in a home where these run rampant, that when the love of God is present, it too transcends generations.

God makes a covenant with us when we turn to Him to love Him, and obey Him.  It’s just like the covenant we see in godly marriages.  Promises are made, and vows exchanged.  And God never reneges on his end of the relationship.  You can count on Him to keep his promises to you.

But you must remain faithful to him.

But wait! We just said that His love is higher than the heavens, and his forgiveness is as far as the east is from the west!  It is!  But when we mess up (and we will), we must repent (ask Him to forgive) and we are right back in good standing with the one who says His love never fails (and it won’t.)

Stop the madness in your home that you see manifested in your children, and turn to Him.  He can correct and heal that which you can never fix on your own.  And you can change the pattern of destruction into a path of life.

On and On

Psalm 103: 17 “But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children…”

We just cannot get away from His great love, can we?  It’s everywhere we turn!  All we have to do is recognize the love of this awesome Father we have and trust Him.  Sounds pretty easy, doesn’t it?

Look at the promise in this verse. 

This love that the Father gives us – this righteousness that is ours when our sins have been forgiven – it affects generations after us. 

Remember yesterday we talked of how we are all like grass and when we die, we are remembered no more?  The legacy we can leave our children, the mark we can make on them and the children after them is one of the knowledge we ingrain in them, of the love of the Father.

We can leave our kids riches, if we’re lucky enough to have them.  And who knows what will become of them when we’re gone.  But when we sow into our children the love of God, we are starting a waterfall that will gush forth, flow over, and fall down on those who come after us, generation after generation.

God’s love has no limits…remember?  Even death cannot stop it.

Life Here

Psalm 103: 15, 16 “The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.”

This verse sounds pretty pitiful, doesn’t it?  We are compared to grass, we spring up when it rains and we turn pretty and green, but only for a short time.  We die, and the next generation springs up behind us.  The place we had in this world is filled by another.  Sound pretty grim?

It would be totally grim and our lives would be hopeless and useless…except we serve an immortal God who shares his immortality with us through the gift of his Son.

In other words, when our life down here is through, when we wither up and die, we are no longer a part of this world where injustice roams the streets.  We belong to another kingdom, one where death has no place nor presence, or anywhere to rear its ugly head.

Entire countries and cities can be wiped out with one act of nature.  We as mortals cannot stand up to the forces present on this earth.  That’s why there’s a new earth, a new place, a new body awaiting all of us who call on the name of the Lord.

Why?  Because He says when we call on his name we shall be saved.  From what? Death, hell, and the grave.

Want more to read? Read Psalm 107 to see more the character of our God.

As a Father

Psalm 103: 13, 14 “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.”

Some of us were not raised by compassionate fathers, but rather had fathers who were abusive, neglected us, or even abandoned us.  So the idea of God as our father is not all that comforting.

However, we have been reading in this entire chapter of the character of God – our father – and He is a father of compassion on those who fear him.  This is not referring to those who are afraid of him, but rather those who reverence him for who He is.

The latter half of the verse says God knows how we are formed and remembers that we are dust.  Remember the story of creation?  He created Adam out of the dust of the earth and breathed life into him.  And because Adam was earthly, and not divine, he had choices to make about his relationship with his Father.  God breathed into him the breath of life, but Adam had to choose to walk with God daily in obedience to his Father.

Compassion is more than just the name of an entity that solicits donors for children.  Compassion is more than just a tear that’s shed when we hear of the atrocities in our nation of child slavery, injustice, and terrorism. 

A father who truly has compassion for his children does everything possible in his power to strengthen them in the areas where they are weak or vulnerable.

And that’s the kind of Father we have.  He has compassion on us.  He is strong when we are weak.  He is powerful when we have no muscles left to flex.  And he mighty to save when we’ve fallen and need an air rescue.

He made us.  He knows us.  He’s our father.  He loves us.

So Far Removed

Psalm 103: 12 …” as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

Yesterday’s devo talked about the depth of God’s love for us – immeasurable.  The second half of that verse talks of his forgiveness for our sins – also immeasurable.

Because we live on a planet that is round, when we start out east we will never meet west. The same is true if we start out west, we will never meet east.  It’s a continuous circle, round and round, with no measure.

God again tells us a great thing about his character.  Not only is his love so deep it can’t be measured, but his forgiveness is so wide we can’t even comprehend it.

As humans, when we are wronged, you can bet we won’t ever forget it.  If the one who offended us even looks at us sideways, we point the finger and accuse, or we rise up in hatred, or cower in fear.  We have a limited capacity to forget.

However, when God forgives us our sins, he removes them.  They exist no more.  They are gone. Forgotten. They have no power over us.

Think about God’s immeasurable love and his extended forgiveness today and let it overwhelm you.  

So Great

Psalm 103: 11 says, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love for those who fear him…”

Can you measure the distance from here to the “heavens?”  And can your eye even see the galaxies up there beyond ours?  We can’t even see past the end of our street, and yet there’s a whole earth that surrounds us.  All of this distance is pretty impressive – and immeasurable.

So it is with God’s love.  The Bible says his thoughts towards us are more numerous than the grains of sand by the sea. I would never even attempt to count grains of sand, for I’m sure I would fall asleep counting before I ever finished counting the amount I could hold in my hand.

We cannot comprehend the love of God because it surpasses any kind of love we can experience with another human being.  If we are blessed to have one friend in life who might take a bullet for us, we can kick our heels up with joy.  But even that one friend just might cower in fear if the circumstance ever really arose.

Jesus did not cower in fear when he was faced with death for the sins of the world.  The love he had for his Father, the relationship they had of complete trust in one another, kept him hanging there. 

So great is his love for you!

He Will Not

Psalm 103: 9, 10 “He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.”

This psalm is full of descriptions of God’s character, and this verse might be one of my favorites.  Oh, how different God is from the way we are.

The one who accuses and harbors angers and treats us poorly is our enemy – the devil.  He constantly brings up our failures, plants thoughts into our minds to make us feel ashamed, and he would like to kill us. But wait!

The One we serve and love does not do these things.  He loved us so much, knowing we would mess up royally, and instead of giving us what we deserve – He gave us His son!

This world is full of people who give…only if they get in return.  They are nice…only to those who are nice to them.  And they accuse…before they even know the facts.

We are sinners, yet He loved us.  He gave Himself up for us.  And He forgives us and remembers our sins no more. 

We serve an awesome God.

Abounding Love

Psalm 103:8 “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”

Just before this verse, we read how he lead the children of Israel by making his ways known to them and by his deeds.

When our own children are ungrateful, it hurts our heart and makes us not want to do things for them.  In fact, as earthly parents, we sometimes withhold our love from them until they “straighten up.” We do the same with our spouse.  But God never withholds his love from us.

The Bible says his mercies are new every morning and his compassion never fails.

Does God get angry?  He sure does, and there are accounts of it in the bible.  But he is never angry at a repentant heart, a moment of weakness, or a fleeting thought of doubt.  He is gracious to us, and woos us back to him with his great love.

When I read the word “abounding” I think of one of those little peach stands that pepper the hill country of Central Texas in the early summer, full of baskets of peaches, juicy and ripe for eating.  This year there weren’t many peaches because of the late freezes.  But God’s bounty is not dependent upon the weather, on our circumstances, or on anything at all…because his love…never fails.  It's perfect.

Know Him

Psalm 103:7 “He made known His ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel…”

Do you want to know God’s character?  Read about the journey of the Children of Israel as they walked in the wilderness.  These people grew hungry, and God actually provided manna from heaven to fill their stomachs and satisfy their hunger.  When they were thirsty, water gushed forth out of a rock.  Impossible!  He provided for every need they had, even when they were unfaithful in their trust in Him.

God isn’t secretive, he doesn’t hold back from us, and he isn’t some hidden artifact that we have to dig up.  He makes his ways KNOWN to us through his deeds that are written about in the Bible.  He openly lavishes his love upon us every single day, every hour, and every minute.

The question then is…do we see his ways, his deeds, and give thanks?

As we walk with Him, as he supplies our needs, as he satisfies our hunger and thirst, may we not grumble at his ways or timing, but look up and receive his blessings and mercy.

His ways are perfect, and his deeds are good.

The Lord Works

Psalm 103: 6 “The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.”

It’s hard listening to the news, and hearing of all the rallies, the protests, the feuds, the arguments, and the madness over gay rights, the unborn children, and those in society who are deemed to be outcasts.  Sometimes it’s easier just to turn off the television, the radio, and the computer and to ignore it all.

However, we know that righteousness and justice are in God’s heart for ALL those who are oppressed in every arena of life.  And if we have experienced being an outcast in any shape or form, we know what it’s like to have the mercy of God sweep over us like a cool wave on a hot summer day and restore our soul.

I just read a blog by a pastor who stated perhaps the best way we can lead others to Christ is by being an example ourselves of those who are righteous in all of our ways, thoughts, and attitudes – those who live a life pleasing to Him.  And we can lead by example in our godly marriages, our joyful hearts, and our own love shown to others through acts of kindness and mercy.

It does no good to get our blood boiling by the actions of our government, or the outcries of the protesters.  

It does produce a desired effect to listen to Him, obey his commands, and love God with all our hearts…and our neighbor as ourselves.

Satisfaction

Psalm 103:5 “…who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Did you know that suffering, sickness, and anything we deem “bad” is always for a good purpose?  We need to be reminded of that.

God knows our desires to have the good things in life.  And this promise in this verse comes right on the heels of the verses that remind us that he heals us, redeems us, and forgives us.  All of those actions indicate that we were in a place of destitution and we needed help.

How can we be satisfied with good things, if we haven’t first experienced that which is not so good?

Even a baby, if given all good things from the time of infancy, on demand, will grow up to be the most self-centered, self-absorbed, obnoxious adult around.  Parents learn to give the baby that which satisfies, that which teaches and instructs, and that which disciplines, so that the baby then grows into a responsible, caring, loving human being – one that contributes to the society in which he/she lives.

God does satisfy us with good things, but not so that we can gloat and say, “Look at what I have.”  

It’s so that we can be renewed to fly and soar to the rescue of others still in distress, all the while praising His name.

The Guide

Did you know you can request a visitors guide from the city you're going to on vacation this summer?  Just visit the Chamber of Commerce website for the city, and request one - it's free!  We just got the one for Charleston, our vacation place this summer.  It's full of itineraries, coupons, things to do, where to eat, what to see, etc.  Easy to plan your stay!  And cheaper than purchasing a book at Barnes & Noble.

Redeemed and Crowned

Psalm 103:4 “…who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,”

Remember yesterday’s verse?  We praised Him because he forgives sin and heals all.

Not only is our God so good that he forgives us, he also redeems us from the pit.  How great it is that God doesn’t just forgive us and then push us on our way, saying “Don’t do it again,” as he watches with a critical eye waiting for us to fall down so he can point his finger in accusation.  No! That’s not my God.

He “redeems” me!  If I perform poorly on a test, and I’m given a second chance to take it again and score highly, I’m redeeming my sorry score and replacing it with a passing one.  The same is true of our God, who not only forgives us but he places us in a place of strength as we walk with Him, so that next time we look to Him and we don’t fall – we soar!

Not only is our God so good that he heals our diseases, but when the healing is delayed at times, we are then “crowned” with love and compassion for others.  In other words, maybe when we are suffering for a season, we actually are being fitted for that which will adorn us to love and be moved to action to help others who are suffering, as well.

I know that I was unable to truly  have compassion for those in financial need until I myself suffered a great financial loss and saw the redeeming, restorative, rescuing power of my Savior.

Praise the Lord!

Who He Is

Psalm 103:3 “…who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases…”

Now the psalmist is listing the character of God, the reasons, the benefits, the profit, the gain, we have from knowing Him and why it is that He deserves our praise.

It’s easy, after years of walking with the Lord, to forget the benefit of salvation.  Its even easy to forget that we still sin occasionally, and because of the blood of Jesus we are forgiven.  What other entity on earth can absolve us of our sin, erase it as though it never occurred, and free us from the guilt and burden of that sin?  There is no other name but Jesus.

It’s also easy, when looking around at the dying in the world, from cancer and other diseases (even our family members) and to remind ourselves that God really is the healer.  Whether we experience that healing in our physical body while here on earth, or when we arrive on the other side, He is the healer. 

And the biggest disease of all – the one that kills and destroys not only the body but the soul – SIN – he healed once and for all on the cross.

I sinned just last week by saying some things I shouldn’t have said.  I was ashamed and downcast for a bit, but then I looked up, and remembered that I have a savior who loves me and forgives me.  I hope I never forget that.

I have friends who are suffering with illness, and others who are still sick in sin, and I must remember that God heals all diseases – it’s who He is – the Healer.  So I continue to pray, believe, and stand firm for those I love.

Praise the Lord, and remember the One who Forgives and the One who Heals.

Forget Not

Psalm 103:2 “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits…”

The psalmist is speaking again to his soul, commanding it to praise the Lord by not forgetting his “benefits.” And then he begins to list some of them. 

Before we read on, let’s think of some of the personal benefits we have from knowing the Lord.  Let’s take time to look at our lives and realize the advantage, profit, and gain we have from a life surrendered to Him.

When we realize that we have the advantage over every circumstance that rises to greet us each day, that He is with us and He is victorious, we can praise the Lord.

When we realize the profit we receive from trading in a sin-filled soul to receive a guilt-free life, one where we lose hell and receive the gift of eternal life, we can praise the Lord.

When we realize that gaining the whole world is rubbish compared to the riches of a life with Jesus, we can praise the Lord.

Speak to your soul.  Remember his benefits.  And praise His name.

Speak to Yourself

Psalm 103: 1 “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.”

I find it interesting that throughout the Psalms the writer speaks to himself, telling himself to praise the Lord.  But then again, I have to do the same thing daily.

Sometimes I really don’t feel like praising Him, especially when I’m questioning His character.  It’s just like a married couple, when one is mad at the other, she doesn’t feel like adoring him at the moment, because all she can see is the faults. 

But today I’m going to join with the psalmist and tell my soul – my inmost being – to praise his holy name.

My “inmost being” can be the deep, deep places of my questioning mind, the wounded recesses of my soul, or the very core of my strength at times when I feel weak.  It’s in these very times that I need to remind myself of who he is – The Lord - the One whose name is holy.

God inhabits the praises that we lift up to Him.  And when he inhabits our praise, all questioning, all hurts, all weaknesses, awaken to his holiness, his sovereignty, his healing, and his strength.

Praise the Lord! Praise his holy name!