“Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for at his command they were created, and he established them for ever and ever; he issued a decree that will never pass away.” Psalm 148:1-6
I have heard Haitian school children joyfully shout “Beni soit L’Eternal” or Fe lwan Seye a” while getting ready to eat a bowl of beans and rice but I’ve never heard school children in the U.S. joyfully shout “Praise the Lord” while getting ready to eat chicken nuggets, salad, peaches and a carton of milk. Being at a Haitian school the very first day that Trinity/HOPE starts a feeding program is truly a wave of excitement and smiles as there is FOOD at their school; God really loves them. “Praise the Lord!” The children give thanks. Their parents give thanks. The Trinity/HOPE board of directors gives thanks. “Praise the Lord” is something that we don’t say enough these days. I don’t know if it is because we have too much or have just come to expect there will be food in front of us at noon, like yesterday and will be tomorrow as well but we need to stop our world and say “Praise the Lord” at the top of lungs wherever we may happen to be. I am doing that today…please join me. I am closing today with the words from the hymn ‘Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones’ that were written by John A.L. Riley in 1906.
“Ye watchers and ye holy ones, bright seraphs, cherubim, and thrones, raise the glad strain, Alleluia! Cry out, dominions, princedoms, powers, virtues, archangels, angels' choirs, Alleluia! Alleluia! O higher than the cherubim, more glorious than the seraphim, lead their praises, Alleluia! Thou Bearer of the eternal Word, most gracious, magnify the Lord, Alleluia! Alleluia! Respond, ye souls in endless rest, ye patriarchs and prophets blest, Alleluia! Alleluia! Ye holy Twelve, ye martyrs strong, all saints triumphant, raise the song, Alleluia! Alleluia! O friend, in gladness let us sing, supernal anthems echoing, Alleluia! Alleluia! To God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit, Three in One, Alleluia! Alleluia!”
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay