Nothing like a little time alone with the Lord of the universe...and welcoming it with a few feathered friends in the midst of God's glorious creation. Thank You, Lord, thank You.
The last Psalm in the Bible for this last day of the year: "Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens! Praise Him for His mighty deeds; praise Him according to His excellent greatness! Praise Him with trumpet sound; praise Him with lute and harp!...Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!" (Ps.150)
Tim Keller writes of this Psalm: "The psalms are, in the end, a miniature of life. Every possible experience, if prayed to the God who is really there, is destined to end in praise. Confession leads to the joy of forgiveness. Laments lead to deeper resting in Him for our happiness. If we could praise God perfectly, we would love Him completely and then our joy would be full. The new heavens and new earth are perfect because everyone and everything is glorifying God fully and therefore enjoying Him forever."
Lord thank You for this year You have so faithfully and generously and graciously brought us through...we praise You. Thank You for all You have taught us. Thank You for the hard, dark places and times where You showed us that You are our Light and our sufficiency. Thank You for the sad and lonely times where You revealed that You are joy and our never failing Friend. Thank You for the priceless gifts of dearly beloved family and friends. Thank You for the glorious moments of seeing You in Your magnificent creation and in Your people and in Your mysterious but beautiful and perfect ways. Thank You for Your patience, love, joy, grace, forgiveness, beauty, perfection, holiness, faithfulness...and thank You for Your Son, the incarnate One who is all of these and infinitely more.
We ask to love You and worship You and glorify You more and more this year. Might we know You far better and better everyday of this new year You give us, for as many days as You choose to give us. Might we love You more and more deeply. Might we delve into and loveYour Word with greater and greater insight and consistently and wonder this year. And oh Lord, might we relentlessly thank and praise You more and more and more every day we breath on this earth until we step into heaven and breathe that celestial, wondrous air.
"Lord, You have given so much to me. Give me one thing more--a heart for praising You. 'Not thankful, when it pleaseth me; as if thy blessings had spare days; But such a heart, whose pulse may be Thy praise.'" (Tim Keller) Amen and amen!
We love You, Lord and to You, to God alone, be all the glory this last day of 2016 and every single day You give us in the days ahead.
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