Reflections (by J Kim)
Psalm 92: 2-3, 13-14, 15-16 (Read)
"Lord, it is good to give thanks to you."
Displaying an attitude of gratitude. Sending a thank-you note. Saying your "please and thank you’s.” Such are lessons we teach our children as we train them in what is socially proper. If only we would spend as much time considering what is proper in the spiritual sense.
God our Creator is all-deserving and worthy of our praise. A well-known prayer guide pinpoints five essential
Displaying an attitude of gratitude. Sending a thank-you note. Saying your "please and thank you’s.” Such are lessons we teach our children as we train them in what is socially proper. If only we would spend as much time considering what is proper in the spiritual sense.
God our Creator is all-deserving and worthy of our praise. A well-known prayer guide pinpoints five essential
elements of prayer.
Adoration, Confession, Petition, and
Intercession, are ALWAYS followed by
Thanksgiving. Psalm 92:2 is often quoted
in support: "It is good to give thanks to the
Lord, to sing praise to your name, Most High."
Also to be noted is the use of the word "sing" in that first verse.
The Lord loves to hear our voices in song. Thus, hymns of any
sort are an integral part of worship. Something about singing
focuses our hearts on Jesus and softens his heart to accept
our prayerful pleas.
Our Abba Father gives us our days in 24 hour increments.
Could we handle any more? His grace is enough for each day;
the psalmist writes, "It is good to proclaim your kindness at dawn
and your faithfulness throughout the night."
The cedar of Lebanon is a mighty and beautiful tree referenced
throughout Scripture. A small cedar shoot is replanted and
compared to a "majestic cedar" as it grows strong
with its roots firmly planted.
The Psalm says,
“The just one shall flourish, like a cedar of
Lebanon shall he grow."
Later, the psalmist writes, "They shall bear fruit even in old age;
vigorous and sturdy shall they be." Living in a righteous manner,
with the foundations of our beliefs firmly rooted, we too are called
to have the strength and fruitfulness of the cedar, even unto the
very end of our earthly lives.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. "Lord, you are holy indeed. It is right to give you thanks and praise." These are familiar words to any Mass-goer. How do you sincerely give thanks to the Lord in your daily life?
2. How can you become more like the upright palm tree or the majestic and firmly-rooted Lebanese cedar? Do others see you as a just and righteous person through your everyday speech and actions? What can you change about yourself so that you, too, can "bear fruit even in old age?"
Adoration, Confession, Petition, and
Intercession, are ALWAYS followed by
Thanksgiving. Psalm 92:2 is often quoted
in support: "It is good to give thanks to the
Lord, to sing praise to your name, Most High."
Also to be noted is the use of the word "sing" in that first verse.
The Lord loves to hear our voices in song. Thus, hymns of any
sort are an integral part of worship. Something about singing
focuses our hearts on Jesus and softens his heart to accept
our prayerful pleas.
Our Abba Father gives us our days in 24 hour increments.
Could we handle any more? His grace is enough for each day;
the psalmist writes, "It is good to proclaim your kindness at dawn
and your faithfulness throughout the night."
The cedar of Lebanon is a mighty and beautiful tree referenced
throughout Scripture. A small cedar shoot is replanted and
compared to a "majestic cedar" as it grows strong
with its roots firmly planted.
The Psalm says,
“The just one shall flourish, like a cedar of
Lebanon shall he grow."
Later, the psalmist writes, "They shall bear fruit even in old age;
vigorous and sturdy shall they be." Living in a righteous manner,
with the foundations of our beliefs firmly rooted, we too are called
to have the strength and fruitfulness of the cedar, even unto the
very end of our earthly lives.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. "Lord, you are holy indeed. It is right to give you thanks and praise." These are familiar words to any Mass-goer. How do you sincerely give thanks to the Lord in your daily life?
2. How can you become more like the upright palm tree or the majestic and firmly-rooted Lebanese cedar? Do others see you as a just and righteous person through your everyday speech and actions? What can you change about yourself so that you, too, can "bear fruit even in old age?"
Having followed the Psalm blog for many years, this week's reflection is familiar to me. But as God's Word is dynamic and active, different points stand out to me today (versus years ago).
ReplyDeleteI have always believed that an attitude of gratitude changes everything. I understand that the way out of the pit is praise. Depression, self-pity, and playing the comparison game have no place in a heart that is grateful before the Lord. The focus of my heart, presently, is the concept of a "day" and that morning and night should elicit from us a natural response of thankfulness to God.
I love verse 4, "... to declare your merciful love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night." In my current season, I feel the importance of declaring God's love at the beginning of every day. When I take the time to do so, I feel the difference in my outlook, schedule, and relationships. My interior state is changed toward receiving blessings and perceiving events in the way God wants me to. By the evening, my day has been so full of miracles big and small, that I can declare how faithful and loving my God was to me, no matter the worldly circumstance.
What's more, I can share this practice with my loved ones and help them to see how great is our God, even if the daily grind feels boring, rough, long, or sad. When one cries out from the depths of darkness, even one word of praise sheds light. The proverbial flipping of the switch causes the misery to disperse and the holy joy to flood in.
In so doing, we infuse our lives with divine fertilizer, so that our roots grow stronger and we can "flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon." (V.13)