Made to Praise

When’s the last time you made a date with the night sky?  You know, just you, fresh air and starlit wonder?  Consciously allowing the hush of heaven to quiet you, the stillness and the wonder to move your heart to praise.     

A few years ago, this became part of my morning routine. It was then that I discovered something I can’t let go of—something I now crave. Most mornings, even if only for a few moments, I slip outside while the world sleeps, to meet with the Maker of light. I bask in the beauty of the view as I offer my heart to the One who gives me back peace and purpose.

In time, I realized this was more than just a cherished habit.  My morning ritual comes from a place of need.  I need to start my day close to the One that really knows me.  The One who sees my battles.  The One that knows everything—from my deepest joys to my greatest longings. The One that centers me in His truth. 

And whether I can see an infinite sea of stars, a cloudy sky with raindrops, or a magical mist of fog, I can’t help but to love the unique details of every encounter… 

Yes, we know that God is with us always, but I find that even more of me is with Him in this sacred space.  Humbled, reliant, grateful and alive, I walk back inside lighter.

If we’re looking, we’ll see that God’s divinity and fingerprints are everywhere.   Did you know that you can train your eyes to see beauty?  At any time, we can start to create new neural pathways.  We do this by practicing gratitude and really taking in the details.

Speaking of beautiful details, isn’t it also phenomenal how each atom within creation follows the laws of God’s design?  Miraculous laws of gravity, light, and fusion.  Each law so perfectly calibrated that even a hint of variation would make life completely impossible.  This divine calibration, held together by God’s powerful love is far too wonderous not to be part of a perfect plan, by a perfect Designer.

Beautifully woven into creation’s DNA, praise is present.  It’s in the soft rain on the roof, the powerful yet calming cascade of a waterfall, the rhythmic waves of the ocean, or the endless sounds of animals.  It’s the leaves dancing in the breeze, or the soothing whistle through the tree branches.

Written by God Himself, the comforting rhythm within all of creation, a harmonious tune offering up praise to the Creator.

You will indeed go out with joy and be peacefully guided;

the mountains and the hills will break into singing before you,

and the trees of the field will clap their hands.  Isaiah 55:12

Astronomer Allan Sandage, credited with helping determine the age of the universe, once said:

“It was my science that drove me to the conclusion that the world is much more complicated than can be explained by science. It is only through the supernatural that I can understand the mystery of existence.”

After decades as an atheist, Sandage observed the design of the universe—and surrendered to the Designer.

King David wrote in Psalm 150:6, Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

But Jesus, the Light of the world made flesh, adds another layer in Luke 19:40.

King Jesus Exalted

Past the waving of palm branches, and the faint sound of donkey’s footsteps was the growing admiration of the crowd.  All eyes were on King Jesus as he rode triumphantly into Jerusalem.  But also present was the growing irritation within the Pharisees as they questioned Jesus’ authority, sparking the objection, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”

Gentle and unshakable, King Jesus replied, “I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

The Pharisees were silenced—for praise is natural and inevitable.  Even the rocks know their purpose.  For all that God has made holds His imprint, and it’s all created to point us back to Him.  So we follow God’s design for creation, as we refuse to stay silent about our King, and our Savior.

5 Years Ago

The first time I got Covid, it was early during the pandemic.  I felt horrible, fatigued, and was convinced I would never taste again—that’s a terrifying thought for someone that could consider chocolate a love language. 

But as rough as the symptoms were, the hardest part wasn’t the sickness itself, it was the silence.  Faces were covered, voices muffled, and hearts uncertain. And you know I’m a hugger, so six feet of distance felt like six miles.  The forced silence of quarantine indeed left its mark.  Anxiety rose and loneliness lingered.  Developing toddlers couldn’t see faces, grandparents missed sweet visits, and many marriages were strained.  I know I wasn’t the only hugger out there—half the world was probably craving a good squeeze. Maybe we realized just how much we need each other after all.

So, I vividly remember that December that we were able to go back to church.  I recall the freedom of being back together as a body of believers, lifting God’s name up high, rejoicing and praising (even in a mask, even in the unknown).  It’s hard to believe that’s been five years…  Praising our Creator is such a gift, mysterious and wonderous, like a sweet peak into heaven.        

I love what A.W. Tozer wrote, “Perhaps it takes a purer faith to praise God for unrealized blessings than for those we once enjoyed or those we enjoy now.”

That’s what we do as Christians—we praise through it.

We praise through uncertainty.

We praise through the question marks.

We praise through the ache.

Because while praise glorifies God, it also lifts us higher into the mighty hands of the One who created our hearts and souls, the One we trust.

Join the Chorus

Years ago, I was traveling on a train through northern Italy. At one point, Jack Johnson’s song “Breakdown” came on in my headphones. I can still picture the beautiful and lush trees, cypress and pine, rushing past my window as the lyrics played:

I hope this old train breaks down.

Then I could take a walk around.

The trees outside were unique, shaped unlike anything I’d ever seen.  In that moment, I was completely present.  And I remember thinking—if the train really did break down, I’d be okay with it. The beauty that surrounded me was enough.

But looking back, I realized that I wasn’t really seeking the Maker of the trees that day. I was chasing the peace the trees seemed to bring. There’s a big difference.

We must first love the Giver of the gifts.  Because we can’t offer the right kind of praise until our hearts are rightly placed—giving glory where it truly belongs.

So, what hinders our praise?  A misaligned heart?  A hard heart?  Or a weary one?  How about a discontented heart, always longing for more?  Time? Pride?  Or the illusion of escape?  What on earth do we find more important than breaking the silence and praising our Creator?

Life will undoubtedly bring about seasons of selfishness, of doubt, and wandering. Yet every time you and I return to praise God, we return home, to the eternal place our hearts were designed for.  We don’t need our train to break down, to stop and take a walk around.  The decision is ours at any given moment. 

So let us join the chorus of trees, the rocks, the rivers, the stars and the heavens—and all who are redeemed, as we lift high the name of King Jesus, the Bright and Morning Star. For we too…were made to praise.

3-2-1

3 Scripture Verse, 2 Quotes,

1 Question to Consider

3 Scripture Verses:

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Psalm 19:1

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.  Hebrews 13:15

…my lips will glorify You because Your faithful love is better than life.  So I will praise You as long as I live; at Your name, I will lift up my hands.  Psalm 63: 3-4

2 Quotes: 

"Praise consists in the love of God, in wonder at the goodness of God, in recognition of the gifts of God, in seeing God in all things He gives us, ay, and even in the things that He refuses to us; so as to see our whole life in the light of God; and seeing this, to bless Him, adore Him, and glorify Him."  - Edward Manning

“Doth not all nature around me praise God?  If I were silent, I should be an exception to the universe.  Doth not the thunder praise Him as it rolls like drums in the march of the God of armies?  Do not the mountains praise Him when the woods upon their summits wave in adoration?  Does not the lightning write His name in letters of fire?  Hath not the whole earth a voice?  And shall I, can I, silent be?” - Charles H. Spurgeon

1 Question to Consider:   What would happen if every day, we truly and consistently, entered His gates with thanksgiving, and entered His courts with praise?