A CRESCENDO OF PRAISE

"Praise the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre, praise Him with timbrel and dancing, praise Him with the strings and pipe, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord."  (Psalm 150 NIV)

Psalm 150 doesn’t whisper… it shouts. It’s the final note in the Psalter’s symphony, a call to worship that echoes through every corner of creation. There’s no mention of struggle, lament, or petition here -- just pure, unfiltered praise.

The psalmist invites us to praise God everywhere (“in His sanctuary… in His mighty heavens”), for everything (“His acts of power… His surpassing greatness”), and with everything (“trumpet… harp… dancing… cymbals”). It’s a full-bodied celebration of who God is and what He’s done.

But this isn’t just about instruments -- it’s about intention. Whether you’re a musician, a writer, a teacher, or a parent, your life can be an instrument of praise. The question isn’t whether you have breath -- it’s what you’re doing with it.

Praise isn’t confined to Sunday mornings. Let your daily routines become sacred rhythms of worship. Use your gifts -- writing, photography, design, music -- to reflect God’s glory. Every medium can become a melody of praise. Are you using your breath to complain, criticize, or compare,… or to praise, encourage, and uplift? Let everything that has breath praise the Lord -- everyone, every way, everywhere, every breath. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™, compiled from a variety of sources

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NO WONDER

We understand how storms are created. We map solar systems and transplant hearts. We measure the depths of the oceans and send signals to distant planets. We… have studied the system and are learning how it works.

And, for some, the loss of mystery has led to the loss of majesty. The more we know, the less we believe. Strange, don’t you think? Knowledge of the workings shouldn’t negate wonder. Knowledge should stir wonder. Who has more reason to worship than the astronomer who has seen the stars? Than the surgeon who has held a heart? Than the oceanographer who has pondered the depths? The more we know, the more we should be amazed.

Ironically, the more we know, the less we worship. We are more impressed with our discovery of the light switch than with the One who invented electricity… Rather than worship the Creator, we worship the creation (see Romans 1:25).

No wonder there is no wonder. We’ve figured it all out.

-- Max Lucado in “In the Grip of Grace”

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Editor's Note: Through my website -- DAVID T WILKINSON PHOTOGRAPHY -- I have tried to express some of this wonder that Max Lucado is talking about. Visit www.davidt-wilkinson.pixels.com.

FOCUSING ON SEEING

We are surrounded by everyday epiphanies. To get in the habit of encountering them, look each day for two things:

            1.         Something that surprises you

            2.         Something that inspires you

Many of us blunder through our lives as though we were asleep. Just being deliberately focused on seeing makes you more alert, more excited, more optimistic. You look, listen, and expect a life-giving surprise. Daily lives are transformed into expectation of meaningful sights. You may see things you have never noticed before.

-- Judy Gattis Smith in Fear Not

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WHERE ARE YOUR EYES FOCUSED?

NOTE: Yesterday I preached on "Focusing on Jesus" and used two photos of mine to make the point that it matters what we focus on. Those photos are the first two images on my website: www.davidt-wilkinson.artistwebsites.com. Today's quote continues that theme of being focused on Christ.

WHERE ARE YOUR EYES FOCUSED?

Some years ago a sociologist accompanied a group of mountain climbers on an expedition. Among other things, he observed a distinct correlation between cloud cover and contentment. When there was no cloud cover and the peak was in view, the climbers were energetic and cooperative. When the gray clouds eclipsed the view of the mountaintop, though, the climbers were sullen and selfish.

The same thing happens to us. As long as our eyes are on God's majesty there is a bounce in our step. But let our eyes focus on the dirt beneath us and we will grumble about every rock and crevice we have to cross. For this reason Paul urged, "Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to the things going on around Christ -- that's where the action is. See things from His perspective." (Colossians 3:2 MSG)

-- Max Lucado in Let the Journey Begin

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APPLAUDING THE CREATOR

Last Friday I shared a quote of mine entitled WALK THE TALK, TALK THE WALK. Today I want to share with you an application of that.

Have you ever watched a sunset at a public beach with a group of people and, when the sun was completely out of sight, you all spontaneously applauded? That happens to me when I'm photographing sunsets like the one above taken in Ephraim, Door County, Wisconsin.

What about after a beautiful snowfall when it is still silent and a blanket of pure white covers everything, do you applaud the Creator? Or when you see a stunning flower close up or walk through a breathtaking garden, do you applaud the Creator? Or when you come across an extraordinary rock formation or canyon, do you applaud the Creator? Or when you see the unique markings of a bird close up, do you applaud the Creator?

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, "Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting." I would add, "and never lose an opportunity to applaud the Creator for His handiwork."

As a way of TALKING MY WALK I have established a photography website with a number of galleries that focus on the wonder and beauty and uniqueness of God's creation in its many forms. When you need a break from a busy day, click on the photo above to go directly to it or on the link below to go to the home page of the website where you can explore over 100 images I have captured and placed in galleries by subject. And then bookmark it, because I will be continuing to add to the selections.

And next time you see a beautiful sunset, don't forget to applaud the creator.

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson 
David T Wilkinson Photography


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FOCUSING ON CHRIST

You could almost believe the apostle had today in mind when he wrote to his young friend, "Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care.  Turn away from Godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing, have wandered from the faith"  (1 Timothy 6:20-21).

With all of this information and all these options at our fingertips, it is more important than ever that we stay focused on the true God and His Son, Jesus, not allowing ourselves to be sidetracked into areas of false teaching that could prove destructive to our faith.

When you stop to think about it, the key to just about everything lies in focus.

The writer to the Hebrews called it "fixing our thoughts" and "fixing our eyes."  "Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess … Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 3:1; 12:2). In other words, rivet your attention on Jesus.  Lock onto God's Son for dear life. Even when distractions around you seem overpowering.  Even when your heart is breaking.

-- Stephen Arterburn and Jack Felton in More Jesus, Less Religion


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