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1 Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! 2 Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! 3 Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! 4 Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! 5 Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! 6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD! (Psalm 150 ESV)
Dear Friend, a blessed and tremendous Thursday be yours! May the joy of the Lord be your strength today and all days.
In the olden days in the Mexican American community there was no love lost between Roman Catholics and Protestants. My first full-time appointment had holes in the stained glass as evidence of that animosity between the Catholics and the Methodists. There was a strong "Come Home" message to the infidels who left the "mother church." Add to it bumper stickers and billboards in the Rio Grande Valley in the late 70s, early 80s. And the name given to non-Catholics was Aleluyas. In fact, the first reason my maternal grandfather gave for not allowing my mother to marry my father was because Dad was an Aleluya. The Protestants were rumored to be quite expressive in their worship spaces to sermons, such as Amen and Alleluia! I cannot confirm those rumors, possibly because of my preaching. LOL.
Yet, here we have a psalm written by the King himself urging some sort of response to God and God's worship. And it's not limited to just church! Yes, praise God in His sanctuary and that's a great starting place, but also outdoors in God's mighty heavens. Why? Let's start with praise God for what God does on our behalf. And why not for how awesome God is! And what should we use? Whatcha got? Have a trumpet? Use it! Blast a note or two or many for God is worthy of it. You have a lute and harp? Use them as well. Got a tambourine lying around, dust it off and use it! Feel like dancing? Dance away! (Sorry Baptists!). If you have a guitar, use it to praise God! We're long past the infamous guitar wars of the 1960s in most churches, but I could be wrong... Want to wake some folks up during worship, use a cymbal and I quote "Loud clashing cymbals! And who should be involved? Everything that has breath! Praise the Lord! And he says again, Praise the Lord!
At the center of it all is the reason: God is worthy. He has conquered death. He reigns in majesty. He is the breath in our lungs. The resurrection of Jesus is not just a historical moment; it is the fuel for perpetual praise, pulsing through every fiber of creation.
To praise God is to remember who He is and to live in the light of that truth. It is to allow every corner of our lives—work, rest, relationships, even our struggles—to be a place where God's greatness is acknowledged and celebrated. Now, I know everyone has his/her worship style and I respect that; but let me urge more freedom and joy to guide your praise in gratitude of all God has done for us.
Psalm 150 doesn’t just invite musicians or clergy. It calls every living, breathing soul. That includes you. Right now.
PRAYER: Lovng, merciful God, You are worthy of all our praise. With every breath we take, remind us of Your greatness, Your love, and the power of Your resurrection. Let our lives become instruments of worship, sounding out the beauty of Your grace. Teach us to praise You not only in song, but in every moment we live. In Christ Jesus' strong name we pray, Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Take a moment today—whether in silence or in song—to praise God simply because He is worthy. Let your breath be your offering. Let your life be your hallelujah.
I love you and I thank God for you!
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.