A Heart Filled with Praise

Reading this morning the story of David ordering the Ark of the covenant to be brought into Jerusalem gave me more insights into His deep love for the Lord. I can just envision the scene of the Levites holding the poles, carefully and reverently walking towards the tent David had constructed to house the Ark. In the meantime, there was this huge praise band of Levites leading the Israelites in worshipping the Lord.

After reading through David's words of praise (see 1 Chron. 16:8-36) I decided to pray those words. You might try this -- use the words of David to exalt and worship King Jesus as Savior. Here's just an excerpt:

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced..."

While pondering this morning this psalm of praise, I thought and prayed, "I want to have a heart for God like David does." I want to be so filled with praise to the Lord that I won't think about myself -- my problems, my needs being met -- but instead of being consumed with the living God. And I know that as I fix my eyes on Jesus and continually praise Him, He will change me and make me into a more loving, joyful person that serves as a signpost for Him -- always pointing to Him.

And if others are annoyed or think it's odd that I rejoice before the Lord, talk about Him all the time, even dance before the Lord as David did (I'm thinking of how David's wife, Michal despised him for how he was so exuberant before the Lord), then let them think I'm weird. I want to be a God pleaser, not a man pleaser. Besides, He is so holy and good and full of mercy and powerful -- and thus deserves our praise.

Jim