Tag: worship

Our God Who likes to smell

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“With praises like perfume, I lavish mine on You” Phillips, Craig and Dean lyrics

This past Sunday we sang this song during our worship time. I like this song anyhow, but, this verse stood out to me in a way it never has before. The praise we give to God is like perfume to Him. Even my out of tune, flat, squeaky noise that I make when I sing is like perfume to Him.

It was then after thinking this (while singing the rest of the song) that I began to see images in my mind, quickly flashing like a high speed slide show, lily of the valley, roses, tulips, crocus, the woods, the dirt, onions frying in a pan, bacon cooking (well yes, lunch time was approaching). Everything with a scent ran through this slide show. Each one has a scent. Each scent is different. Each scent was created by God.

He shares with us scents. Each praise of Him, from hands lifted high to thankfulness that you were able to wake up this morning is praise, is a sweet aroma to our Lord. We were created to praise Him. We are vessels of praise for Him. In return, He gives us a newborn’s scent, the scent of freshly fallen snow, the scent that comes from the foam of the ocean.

How blessed we are! Our God gave us something He enjoys, the gift of smell.

“ For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which ascends] to God, [discernible both] among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;” 2 Corinthians 2:15 (AMP)

Dappled Sunlight

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This morning as I walked, I saw the dappled sunlight in our front yard. I love the spring and summer sunlight, although I do grumble at the coming heat and humidity.

Today the gentle breeze was consistent and at times sent a shiver down my back. It’s early May and soon I will long for that shiver of cool.

As I walked, I was reminded of how beautiful our property is and how blessed we are to be here. I often write about our home, our yard, about the sunlight and the wind rushing through the trees. I hesitated to do so again.

But, in the midst of this rambling, the Lord showed Himself in a great way. If we quiet ourselves enough, we will see His presence in all things. This morning I attempted to do this. To look, to marvel, and to hear.

What came of all of this was an overflowing desire to praise our God. He is great! He is glorious! He has plans for each of us and will direct our steps.

My time of walking is my prayer time. I tend to start off right away with a list, my list. I pray for others, I pray for family, and sometimes I complain when I see things that need to be done. In the middle of my usual routine today, I stopped. I stood still and it occurred to me that the Lord knows my routine.

I looked around me and said, “Today, I will choose to praise You. You know my heart. You know what I am droning on in prayer. You are already in the middle of the situations I am praying for. So, today is my day to thank You, to praise You and to remember You and Your deeds.”

“Who is like You among the gods, Lord? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, Awesome in praises, working wonders?” Exodus 15:11 (NASB)

Worship

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“Come, let us worship and bow down.  Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,” Psalm 95:6 (NLT)

Dale and I recently watched the documentary of The Jesus Music. It began with the birth of Christian music, which started about the time we became born again Christians. The 70’s with the Jesus Movement which flowed into Japan, brought by Christians from southern California. It was a great time, with great music and great excitement.

While watching this, Dale and I smiled and talked about the artists and their music. We had memories for a lot of what was being talked about.

Interspersed in the interviews were bits of songs. Songs that have ministered to me and renewed me, have given me strength and courage.

I came away thinking of worship of our God. Worship is an act of honoring and glorifying God. It is a time to literally fall on our faces in adoration. Too often we go to church we sing the songs and we leave. We do not allow the words to penetrate our souls. We do not think of the meaning of worship. God created music. He spoke music into our lives. It is deeply embedded in us. It is a natural response to our Creator.

We often play worship music in the background, it calms me, speaks to me and keeps my mind on Whose I am.

Michael W. Smith has a song that expresses my heart and worship, “Heart of Worship” The words of the chorus are: “I’m coming back to the heart of worship And it’s all about You, it’s all about You, Jesus
I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You, it’s all about You, Jesus
I’m coming back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You, it’s all about You, Jesus
I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You, it’s all about You, Jesus”

Our lives are truly all about Jesus.