O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning.
2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,
for I pray to no one but you.
3 Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.
Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly…
7 Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house;
I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe.
8 Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me.
Make your way plain for me to follow…
11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them,
that all who love your name may be filled with joy.
12 For you bless the godly, O Lord;
you surround them with your shield of love. Psalm 5:1-3, 7-8, 11-12 (NLT, my emphasis)
O, LORD if I have done any good thing in my life, if I have brought honor and glory to Your name, I have done it by Your great mercy and love and because You never gave up on me.
A friend, a brother I met through God’s divine appointment left this world on Sunday and is now truly and finally home. Tomorrow night many will gather to celebrate his life. But more importantly, this man would tell us all to gather to celebrate Jesus Christ. Over and over this week I have read tributes to this man’s life. He was a passionate evangelist who preached of God’s great love for each one of us and His hatred for sin. He had penetrating blue eyes and yet, as I once heard my son say, “His eyes looked right into me, Mom, but they also had such love.”
[Jesus said,] “I don’t care about human praise, 42 but I do know that none of you love God. 43 I have come with my Father’s authority, and you have not welcomed me. But you will welcome people who come on their own.44 How could you possibly believe? You like to have your friends praise you, and you don’t care about praise that the only God can give!
45 Don’t think that I will be the one to accuse you to the Father. You have put your hope in Moses, yet he is the very one who will accuse you. 46 Moses wrote about me, and if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me.” John 5:41-46 (CEV)
The praise and tribute of people means nothing. My life isn’t about me. It is about Who sent me and saved me. My life is about my LORD who isn’t far away and disinterested. He is my Father who created me and loves me. When it is my time to go home to my Father, I pray those whose paths I crossed will remember what I said about our LORD. When I part company with this world, may it be Jesus who is remembered and the Father who is praised for my life.
I praise my LORD because He orchestrated my life and I was here to see Him touch millions of people including me in what was called The Pensacola Outpouring of God. It was a glimpse, a tiny peek, into the glory I will see – when I go home. And my friend will be part of those who will welcome me.
I know I have shared this song recently but I cannot say “Thank You, LORD” too much, can I?
I Just Want to Take a Little Time to Thank You written & sung by Lindell Cooley
