Ron Writes
There’s so much to be thankful for and so many reasons to praise. So much reminds us of God’s presence. Ever since we got cell phones with cameras, many of us have been documenting our lives in pictures. My wife has become our family photographer. There are pictures of lakes, rivers, waterfalls, forests and even clouds. Pictures of restaurants and food on our plates. Pictures of our house, car, and decorations. And pictures of me (she likes to take candid pictures so for some reason there’s a lot of my backside), family and friends. Each picture has become a prompt for me to praise God. The beauty of the earth, God’s material blessings, and relationships are constant reminders of God’s presence. I’m trying to train myself to praise God every time one of these reminders comes up. Nearly every picture can be one of praise.
As you read through the Bible, especially in the NT, the writers will often burst into praise. These are referred to as doxologies. Doxa is Greek for praise. Logos is Greek for word. So, doxology is speaking words of praise. Most are short as when Paul mentions God as the Creator and shouts “who is blessed forever. Amen” (Rom. 1:25). Or “To Him be the glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36). The apostle John sings out “to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Rev. 1:6). So aware of God and so overcome with gratitude these words just seem to spontaneously erupt from the writer’s pen.
Some are a bit longer. “He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen” (1 Tim. 6:15-16). My favorite is from Jude, “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen” (Jd. 24-25).
Our lives aren’t much different from these NT writers. All of us have trials and struggles. There are natural disasters and setbacks. Life can be overwhelming. Yet their constant awareness of who God is and his presence among them prompted their praise.
May we be people of praise. May our lives be documented by pictures of praise.
