LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL
By Pastor Mensa Otabil
Sunday 8th August 2021
CONTINUAL PRAISE
Scripture Reading: Psalm 34:1-10
I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. (Psalm 34:1-2)
Psalm 34 is a popular psalm you may have read, heard or recited many times. In the opening verses, the Psalmist pledges a life of devotion to the Lord and to His exaltation. What commitments does the writer make? There are four to take note of.
- I will bless the Lord at all times. We praise God in the morning and in the evening. We praise Him when we are awake and when we go to sleep. We praise Him before we start and when we finish. In the good times and the difficult times, whether we are on the mountain top or in the valley, we must praise the Lord. We must remember to thank Him when we are seeking Him for help and bless His name when He grants it.
- I will praise the Lord continually. We don’t stop praising God because we faced a roadblock. We cannot be temperamental in our praise. Consider God’s goodness and mercy to you in times past and be moved to praise Him. He is mighty. He has never failed His people and He never will because He is unchanging. Allow thanksgiving to continually fill your mouth, no matter your experiences.
- I will make my boast in the Lord. The Lord is our pride. In ourselves, we are nothing but in Christ we are great and mighty. He is our confidence. All our successes, all our achievements ultimately stem from Him. It is in Him that we are able to do all things. He makes all things possible for us. Our boast must be in the Lord. The next time someone compliments you, pass on the glory and praise to God.
- I will encourage others to rejoice in the Lord. Our testimony of the Lord inspires others to rejoice in the Lord. In church, our worship inspires others to worship. At work, our joy in the Lord invites others to seek for Him. At home or at school, with family or with friends, wherever and with whoever we are with, our worship must encourage others to worship God as well. Let your life be a silent witness that challenges others to live for the Lord and praise Him.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I am very grateful for all you have done for me. Your praise shall continually be in mouth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
