Meditation for November 7

From Peter Munson

Ecclesiasticus 43:23-33

"You Cannot Praise Him Enough"

"We could say more but could never say enough.  Let the final word be: "He is the all."  Where can we find the strength to praise him?  For he is greater than all his works.  Awesome is the Lord and very great, and marvelous is his power.  Glorify the Lord and exalt him as much as you can, for he surpasses even that.  When you exalt him, summon all your strength, and do not grow weary, for you cannot praise him enough.  Who has seen him and can describe him? Or who can extol him as he is? Many things greater than these lie hidden, for I have seen but few of his works." (Ecclesisasticus 43:27-32)

I have been writing and teaching (with Julia) lately about appreciation.  Katie Hendricks says that to have a healthy relationship with another person, there should be at least five appreciations for every one criticism.  I wonder what that suggests about our relationship with God.  Wouldn't the same wisdom be applicable?

I read something the other day about 90% of the political ads being ones that attack the opposing candidate, as opposed to being ones that say clear things about the candidate who is running.  Evidently, criticism and negativity are big in our culture.  It is especially so at election time, I suppose.

The writer of Ecclesiasticus invites us to take a different approach, especially in our relationship with God.  "Glorify the Lord and exalt him as much as you can...When you exalt him, summon all your strength, and do not grow weary, for you cannot praise him enough."  Exaltation and praise are very much tied into appreciation.  Our worship on Sundays is mostly about praising God.  But we can't stop there, if we are to "glorify the Lord and exalt him as much as [we] can."  So, on this election day, I will take a run at praising God, knowing that my words cannot begin to "extol him as he is", for "I have seen but few of his works."  Even so - though we are limited and our words are even more limited, we must praise him anyway, for our Lord is amazing in his love for us, in his graciousness, his faithfulness, his power, and his care.

Lord, I praise you for that amazing moon I have seen the last few nights.

I praise you for the courage that Julia and I saw in the 17 couples who came to the couples course last weekend, and in what we learned from them.

I praise you for people who do not get disillusioned and cyncial, but who live their lives with hope and faith, and by reaching out to others in love and compassion.

I praise you for the 15-month old boy, Wyatt, who I met yesterday.  In his love and vitality, he brought something so precious to all of his relatives, as we prayed together around the body of his great-grandfather, who had just died.

I praise you for giving me Julia and Zach and Hannah, for my family of origin, for my friends, and for all the people in the churches where I have served.  You have blessed me richly and taught me so much through them.

I praise you for the two coyotes I saw on my run with Sophie on Friday.

I praise you for the way the mountains look so glorious when they have new snow on them, and the sky is so blue above them, and they are just ablaze with light, and that I get to see that sight so often this time of year, as I drive to work.

I praise you for being able to see more of Zach's hockey games and Hannah's basketball games this year.  It is a joy to watch them play.

I praise you for the people you have inspired to write amazing books.  I also praise you for giving us the Bible.  My life would be so barren, and so different, without them.  In the very same way, I praise you for music and for the people who make such beautiful music for us.  I praise you for all the opportunities you give us to sing, but especially for those opportunities we have in church - to sing together, and to praise you in our singing.

I praise you so much for sending Jesus to live with us, to teach us, to bring healing and salvation to all of us, to love us, to die for us, to give us the hope of eternal life with You.  And I praise you for giving us your Holy Spirit, who comforts us and challenges us and empowers us, and leads us into all truth, as we follow you.

I praise you for sustenance - "for this fragile earth, our island home" - for water and food and shelter and clothing and love, for the essentials of life.

I praise you for your faithful and loving presence, for your graciousness, for the peace and security that can only be found in you, for the freedom that comes from you, and for forgiveness, reconciliation, and new life.

I praise you for my health, and most especially, for life!  And I look forward to all of the life - on this earth, and beyond this earthly life - that is to come, thanks be to You!

I don't have enough words to praise you, O Lord.  Help me not to grow weary in praising you, for you are worthy of praise and worship and honor, and I cannot praise you enough. You are, indeed, "the All". Glory to you, Lord God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier - glory and praise to you, forever and ever.  Amen.