Psalm 92:1-3
What a beautiful thing, God, to give thanks,
to sing an anthem to you, the High God!
To announce your love each daybreak,
sing your faithful presence all through the night,
Accompanied by dulcimer and harp,
the full-bodied music of strings.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Timothy and I were sitting in my office, and he was watching “Wubbzy” videos on my computer. The TV was on, but I was not paying any attention. A NASCAR race was about to begin, and they sang the “Star Spangled Banner”. Timothy suddenly shouted, "BOW YOUR HEAD!" I looked over, and he had his head bowed. A minister was praying at the race venue. So I bowed my head, and when the minister was done, Timothy said, "A-MEN!" Then he muttered, "Man…that was a long one!”
It was a precious moment, and I have to admit that I was proud that our little 5-year-old nephew respected a prayer enough to bow his head – even one offered over the television airwaves! But here’s the thing…we wouldn’t think of attending a sporting event and not singing the national anthem before it began. A lot of public sporting events also begin with a prayer. MANY of us don’t give this a second thought…unless it doesn’t happen!
I don’t know about you, but when I place my hand across my heart and listen to – or sing along with – “The Star Spangled Banner”, something is stirred in my heart. I am reminded of the privileges we enjoy in this country…and the unity of standing as a group and singing an anthem for the nation we love and the freedoms we enjoy. I am humbled by how blessed we are.
But I wonder…how many of us are as concerned about singing an anthem to God each day? How many of us stop to consider the awesome privilege it is to be saved by the blood of Jesus Christ – to belong to God for all eternity and rest in the assurance of spending Eternity with Him in heaven? How many of us are humbled and stirred by the tremendous blessings we enjoy because of Jesus…and how often are we moved to sing out to Him in gratitude?
Somehow, I have a feeling we are more diligent about singing the national anthem and offering a prayer at a sporting event than we are about praising God for His incredible love and care. And as kids like to say, “that’s messed up!” And there is no time like the present to start making amends.
Stop today and look around you. Thank God for ALL that He does for you 24/7/365. Give Him some of your time. BOW YOUR HEAD and tell Him just how grateful you are for His love and care…for His wisdom and power…for JESUS! God deserves our songs of gratitude and praise…our prayers of love and allegiance. Will this be the day that you begin to sing an anthem for Him? Don’t you think it should be?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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