Megan Evans, Women’s Ministry Director, LHBC
PSALM 113:1-3 (ESV)
Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore!
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting,
the name of the Lord is to be praised!
What effect do you have on people? Do you praise the name of the Lord and spread His glory as you live out your daily life? As the sun rises and sets we have twenty-four hours of opportunity to praise God and bring Him glory (Psalm 113:3). Today is a brand-new day. Will your praise be contagious?
We tend to think of the word “contagious” in negative terms like an illness or a communicable disease, but an attitude of praise is a positive contagion. When used to describe an emotion or attitude, the word “contagious” is defined as being likely to affect or spread to others. How does your daily attitude affect others?
When we are grumpy and walk around seeing the world as only half-empty, we are less likely to praise God and speak of His glory. Negative attitudes can be contagious as well. People don’t enjoy being around negativity, and people certainly don’t want to catch whatever we have that is making us so grumpy! Praise, on the other hand, is hard to contain!
The world notices joy and peace in believers who let it show. Even if they can’t put their finger on it, nonbelievers often take note that there is something different about that person and the way they handle life’s circumstances with hope and by trusting in the Lord. Psalm 113:1 calls us servants of the Lord. What an honor and title we get to wear, and it is important to think about our countenance as we interact with others.
We are God’s ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20), and we never know when an opportunity will arise to share the Good News and the reason for the hope we have in Jesus (1 Peter 3:15). Like the song from the movie Annie says, “you are never fully dressed without a smile.” Servant of God, don’t forget your smile when you get dressed today! Smiles are important, and contagious. In fact, studies have shown that the act of smiling is actually good for the brain and healthy for the body. I love that God made us with the ability to smile–each person’s smile is so unique! Smiles do something else too; smiles welcome others.
Psalm 113 in its entirety speaks of the LORD our God enthroned on high lifting the poor and needy and setting them among princes. God loves and values everyone, and as we praise God, it is important to let our love for Him spill out onto the world around us and onto every type of person. Jesus loved the unlovable, the dirty, the uneducated, the outcast….today as we love God, let us not forget to love all people. Praise O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord!
PRAYER OF THE DAY:
Father God, I praise you today. You are the Lord my God and your Name is worthy of all praise and glory. Help me to share this joy with others—it’s too good to contain! I repent of any areas of poor attitude that I have let affect my interactions with people. May my attitude and actions point to you instead. In Jesus Name, Amen.
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
Matthew 5:16
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.