Ordinary, Everyday Blessings

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 138. Here is what I learned.

Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord and joyfully celebrate His mighty acts, for great is the glory of the Lord. Psalm 138:5 (AMP)

They will sing about ·what the Lord has done [the way of the Lord],  because the Lord’s glory [his manifest presence] is great. Psalm 138:5 (EXB)

What does it take for me to notice God’s presence? Do I only acknowledge God when He’s doing mighty and powerful things? Or do I notice Him on a daily basis, when He’s doing “everyday” things? 

It’s easy to notice God when He does the unexpected and sends “big” blessings. But do I notice when He sends the “routine” blessings, such as a sunrise? Each and every day the sun rises. I can’t control it, but God does. Some mornings the sunrise is spectacular and I stop and notice, and may even take a picture or two. But do I stop and praise God, for the “ordinary” sunrises? Do I stop and realize that God continues to keep His promises—each and every day? 

While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Genesis 8:22 (AMP)

God deserves praise and honor and celebration for the “big things” He does, but He also deserves praise and honor and celebration for the “ordinary, everyday” blessings. For without God those ordinary, everyday blessings would cease. 

To create a positive day, I need to celebrate what God is doing — the big blessings and the ordinary, everyday blessings. 

And It Starts Today

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 96. Here is what I learned.

Sing to the Lord, bless (affectionately praise) His name; show forth His salvation from day to day. Psalm 96:2 (AMB)

Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Psalm 96:2 (NLT)

Sing to the Lord! Praise his name! Day after day announce that the Lord saves his people. Psalm 96:2 (GW)

Day-to-Day 

Adj.

1. of or belonging to or occurring every day; "daily routine"; "a daily paper"

Synonyms: everyday, regular, usual, routine, accustomed, customary, habitual, constantly.

Habitual: means made a norm or custom or habit or fixed practice.

Customary: means in accordance with convention or custom.

Usual: means commonly or normally encountered, experienced, or observed.

Habitual. Customary. Usual.

Repetition of the same thought or physical action develops into a habit which, repeated frequently enough, becomes an automatic reflex. Norman Vincent Peale 

I am to make it a fixed practice, a daily custom, a normal experience to proclaim the good news of God’s saving grace. Proclaiming, talking about God is to be an automatic reflex. But, why is talking about God’s amazing saving grace so hard? It is the most precious wonderful gift, yet I am hesitant to discuss it. 

Habitual. Customary. Usual. It doesn’t happen all at once. It’s “day-to-day”.  I need to create a habit of proclaiming God’s amazing grace to those around me—and it starts today. Then, when tomorrow comes, I’ll make it a point to do it again. Day-to-day. It’s not yesterday, then next week. It’s the “here and now”. Today. 

To create a positive day, I need to create a habit of sharing God’s amazing saving grace with those around me, and it starts today.

Peace in the Midst of Pain

Throughout this year, each day of the month, I'm "Treasure Hunting" in a Psalm. I've created a "Ponder Every Morsel of Truth" Book to record the truths as I learn them. The seventeenth of each month, I'm studying Psalm 13. Here's what Treasure I found today.

How long must I ·worry [or bear pain; [hold counsels] and ·feel sad [hold sorrow] in my heart all day? How long will my enemy ·win [rise up] over me? Psalm 13:2 (EXB)

How: of time to what point ?

Long: as far (or long, or much) as.

How long? Like that proverbial question, “Are we there yet?”. How much longer? Will it ever end? 

Sorrow: affliction -- grief

Heart: inner man, mind, will, specifically of seat of the emotions and passions.

Daily: always, continually, each day.

Each day when I awake I hope to find the sorrow, grief, pain gone, but it remains. 

Having sorrow in my heart daily - Every day; constantly. That is, there was no intermission to his troubles. The sorrow in his heart seems to have been not merely that which was caused by troubles from without, but also that which sprang from the painful necessity of attempting to form plans for his own relief - plans which seemed to be in vain. Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In October 2000, I injured my back. I figured in a few days that pain would be gone. However, it remains. Each day when I wake up, the pain greets me. At times it’s overwhelming. I wonder, how long will the pain remain. Will it ever go away? 

Yet, greater than physical pain, is the grief and sorrow that is present when the soul is in pain. What causes ‘soul pain’? Several things. First, and foremost, I can cause ‘soul pain’ when I’m not right with God. When I allow sin to come between me and God. Secondly, ‘soul pain’ can be caused by Satan trying to rob me of God’s peace. Doubts and fears take place of God’s peace and comfort. And lastly, ‘soul pain’ can be growing pains. As God stretches my faith and teaches me more about Him, the soul can grieve knowing what an amazing God I have, and what a small being I am, yet He loves me. 

How long? Will it ever end? Although the pain may not end while on earth, knowing that God is still God does allows my soul to have peace—even in the midst of pain. God is still at work. He remains faithful to His promises. He will not forsake His children. God is still God! 

I don’t have to be ‘pain-free’ to create a positive day. I only need to rest in God’s goodness and watch Him work, then I can have peace in the midst of pain. And the peace that God gives, creates a positive day!

Going Right On as the Days Roll On!

Throughout this year, each day of the month, I'm "Treasure Hunting" in a Psalm. I've created a "Ponder Every Morsel of Truth" Book to record the truths as I learn them. The Twenty-fourth of each Month, I'm studying Psalm 61. Here's what Treasure I found today.

So will I sing praise unto thy name forever, that I may daily perform my vows. Psalm 61:8 (KJV)

Sing praise: give praise, sing forth praises, psalms.

Name: by implication honor, authority, character 

Forever: perpetuity.

Perform: make good.

Vows: promised gifts.

Daily: day by day, continually—today and each day.

We vowed perpetual praise, and we desire to render it without intermission. We would worship God de die in diem, going right on as the days roll on. We ask no vacation from this heavenly vocation; we would make no pause in this sacred service. God daily performs his promises, let us daily perform our vows: he keeps his covenant let us not forget ours. Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth, even for evermore. The Treasury of David

I will, a determined commitment and desire, to give praise to God, because He is worthy of praise, each and every day, as a promised gift to God. 

Note that my praise is not based on how I feel, or what I’m experiencing that particular day, the praise is directed to God, His character, Who He is. And since God does NOT change, my praise should be continual. 

I like how the Treasure of David put it: going right on as the days roll on. My praise to God should be going on and on and on and on and on.... as the  days roll on! Just like a huge boulder rolling down a hill, it continues to gather speed as it continues to roll. The more I praise God on a daily basis, the more I want to praise God! Going right on as the days roll on! 

I’ve noticed that the past several Psalms really focus on the aspect that my Praise is not to be based on me, my circumstances, my situation, or how I feel. Rather I’m to be praising and honoring God simply because of WHO He is. I also have noticed that as David turns his attention to God and begins praising and honoring God, David’s outlook changes., even if his situation/circumstances remain the same, David finds joy and comfort in Who God is. 

To create a positive day, I need to change my focus from how I feel, from how bad I hurt, from my circumstances to Who God is, His character and begin praising Him.... going right on as the days roll on!