Magnify the Lord With Me
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Psalm 34:1-8
1. I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and be glad. 3. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! 4. I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. 5. Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed. 6. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 7. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8. O taste and see that the Lord is good! Happy is the man who takes refuge in him!
I have learned there is only one way to get through life: trust in God. Having said that I don’t always demonstrate this profound truth. I’m not always radiant with the glow of God’s love, nor do I always offer to Him all my fears and concerns and very important problems of the day. Monday mornings are the most difficult for me in terms of being centered on God. I so often have a million things running through my mind--my work to do list, the list of family doctor/dental appointments, school meetings, activities at church -- at Christmas time at our church we have enough activities to make your head spin! It’s overwhelming--in a wonderful way!
When I get all wrapped up in the activities of the day or the upcoming week, I’m not magnifying God. If I don’t turn over the tension, anxiety--and really, just the purpose of my days--to God, I’m not leaving myself open for his answer to my seeking, am I? I fully believe and recognize that by turning over my life this day to my God, nothing will overcome me or overwhelm me. I have felt his angel encamped around me at work, in the car, at home, in the oddest places. But I so often am too busy to acknowledge it. How can I expect to be saved out of all my troubles when I’m too busy reciting to God all the “very important things” I need to do today? If I don’t approach him with an attitude of trust that he’s already taken care of the
truly important aspects of my life, then I miss out on his blessings.
Christmas is my favorite time of year! I love the lights, the late night service on Christmas eve to ring in the birth of Christ, the spirit of giving and generosity that is awakened in individuals and churches and companies and . . . everyone! I think Christmas brings out the best in people. Of course, the added activities and responsibilities of baking, decorating, gift buying, and all the “extra” activities can also be a time of stress. We talked in our Sunday school class yesterday about making room for Jesus in our lives. We decided that if we focused less on having the perfectly decorated house, the precisely wrapped gifts, the vast assortment of Christmas treats, and the overspending to give our children “everything their hearts desire” we would be able to actually enjoy the season!
It’s not just true at Christmas time. It applies to our lives every single day, every hour, every minute. The words to a song I listen to at work daily are, “I need thee. I need thee. I need the every hour.” One would think that listening to such a song would remind me who needs to be the center of my life! Instead it too often becomes part of the “background noise.” Today I’m going to try to listen to the words and to look people in the eye with a smile on my face, and be radiant so that I might magnify the God who saves me from all my troubles -- if I’ll just allow Him too!
My prayer today is that you breathe. Breathe in the spirit of Christmas. Breathe out the stress and anxieties of this world. And that you give it all to God that He will answer you.
Mary
