In Specific Praise

As always, our service at church this week was awesome. I especially appreciated one part because of something the pastor said after a worship song about praising God. He pointed out that when we praise someone – a child, for instance – we don’t just tell them, “I praise you.” We tell them why we are praising them. He then invited the congregation to share some of the specific reasons they have for praising God. There were some really beautiful shares by members and, listening to the examples where God had done incredible things in people’s lives, something occurred to me. Not only is God a good, wonderful and loving Father, but He is such a personal God. For each of us, He does and gives what we each need. Nothing He does for us is generic.

I was so moved by one sister’s story of ways that God had moved in her circumstances that I was too awed to even share my own testimony, but I will share the gist of it here now.

Of course, I am thankful to God for being patient with me, for putting up with my constant mistakes, and, most of all, gifting me with His salvation and love. That's what He has for all of us. And, for some of us, he will supply a specific need at a specific time. For me personally, though,  He actually allowed me to lose things.

It took losing  my house, health, job, relationships, companions, finances, and pride before I reached a point of either walking away from God or walking into His presence. Prior to all that, I believed in God, but I didn’t acknowledge needing Him. When I did acknowledge my need, it wasn’t because I wanted everything back that I’d lost; I just felt so empty that I realized the things I’d lost had never fulfilled me.

God truly has been so good to me. I am not only learning to depend on Him for my daily needs, but I live from moment to moment in trust that He will supply what I need. I needed God before I knew that I did, but I’m so glad that I do know now.

I've mentioned here before the various ways I toyed with "religion" and how I grew to accept Jesus as my Savior. It took me a long time to understand that "religion" is just a word that can be used any and every way we humans want to use it, but a relationship with Jesus is personal and real. I grew up with "religion" and it never was enough.

A book I read recently says this: “When they seek comfort, He makes Himself known to them.” That right there could be my entire testimony. That's my specific praise.

Peace
--Free