[box] “Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.” Psalm 33:1 NIV[/box]
So your alarm clock goes off. It feels like the middle of the night. But your pastor challenged you to start your day with joyful praise. Before saying anything else, (“Honey, you stole the sheets!”) you want to say, “Good morning, Jesus!”
At least you thought you wanted to say it (the night before); but now that you’ve finally pried open your eyes, (and yawned so loud that you woke up your husband beneath all those sheets), you think, “who’s really that cheery first thing in the morning, anyway?”
“Ok, ok, I’ll do it, I’ll do it,” you say. So with teeth clenched like a ventriloquist, you finally squeeze it out: “Goooood mooorrrning, Jesus!” Then under your breath… “Happy now?” and you roll over and go back to sleep.
In Psalm 33 I almost hear a parent talking to a child. “Eat your vegetables, Honey. They’re really good for you.” “Be joyful for Jesus… It’s appropriate for the upright to praise Him…”
And where the NIV says “upright,” the New Living says “pure;” so if you’re still sprawled in bed, you can’t say, “Ha, I’m not upright, so this doesn’t apply to me, phew.”
You are pure because God has made you pure! It’s time to celebrate the One who did this amazing cleanup job. So it’s like “Phew, I no longer smell like a skunk! Goooood morning, Pure-Me Maker!”
Knowing who we are yanks us from doldrums so we’re singing with the happy drums.
Have you talked to your soul and told it to sing with Jesus-joy today? (And before you think I’m weird, remember, even our good friend David talked to his soul.)
[box] “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 43:5 NIV[/box]
Our souls are forgetful little buzzards and they need a good poke every now and again.
Poke, poke!
Oh, and before you go poke someone else’s soul, poke yours first, ok?
So give it up for the Big Guy and go have a joy-filled, merry-making, praise-raising day!
[box] “All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” I John 3:3 NIV[/box]
What are you thankful for today? How about making a chorus of praise in the comment section below. By the way, I’m thankful for YOU! And thanks to my hubby for granting me permission to post this lovely picture of him this morning. You can steal my covers any time! xo
Loved this post, Cheryl! How true! I am struggling with this very issue this morning…knowing I need to praise first thing, yet, feeling “under the burden” in so many areas upon waking. God is God, and He deserves our praise in all circumstances. Thank you for the reminder! And the smile this morning. Have a blessed day in Him!
Love,
Cheryl
Good morning, Cheryl — and I hear ya. Sometimes I think of Paul — how he (figuratively) beat his body and made it his slave, and I tell myself, “Mind over matter.” It’s amazing how fast the feelings come once you start doing the right thing, once you pass that initial wake-up hump. This reminder’s for me too, but I’m thankful to be a conduit. Blessings on your day!
Hi Cheryl, definitely needed to hear this this morning. Thank you for posting. I’m really glad I no longer smell like a skunk.
Hi Justine! Glad it spoke to your sweet-smelling heart this morning!
Bless you!
The picture was so enlightening. So this is what your hubbie looks like in the morning before I wake up? I just chuckled. Praise God for husbands who look so funny in the morning, but are so nice to have for a life-mate! (I’m still looking for another since widowed 25 years ago.)
Did you get my email about your poetry?
Hi Linda. I laughed at the word “enlightening.” My hubby actually looks better in real life than he does here. I staged this picture and had him open his mouth and try to look goofier than usual. : ) We had blast, took tons of pictures, and laughed our heads off.
I returned your email message but it came back to me, which didn’t make sense because I hit “reply.” I’m honored that you’d like to use some of my poems in your Bible Study book. I don’t have any special links I can send you — although you can find some of my poems right here on the website on pretty photographs above my blog posts. Hope this helps. As to what poems will minister best to that particular audience… I would ask others who are grieving in that way to read the poems and give you their opinion about what comforts them the most. Let me know how it goes, ok? Thanks!
Cheryl, I just love this. Thanks for making me smile! I am so grateful for you amazing God-sized dreamers.
Thanks for making me smile. Great post.
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