It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to your name,
O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night,
Psalm 92:1-2
Wherever you are in this moment, I encourage you to take a beat to pause and praise the Lord. To thank him for his love and faithfulness to us, to appreciate the work that he is doing in our lives.
I often find myself swept up in the city and letting what’s around me guide my purpose, rhythm, and standing. We aren’t designed to jump between values that change with such frequency. Our pace of life is meant to reflect a daily walk with God through the hills and valleys (or subways and sidewalks). He is the experienced guide who is intimately familiar with the territory and has designed a path for each of us to walk. In his goodness, he doesn’t just give us a map, but he walks us through each day and each step. How often do I let go of his hand to try to run ahead on my own?
The psalmist starts with giving daily praise to the Lord and singing out his promises (verses 1-4), then acknowledging his wisdom and authority above the world’s (verses 5-9). They recognize that God has anointed and given them power over the things that try to chase us out of God’s hand. The result of that daily rhythm of staying planted in God’s house is a rich and flourishing life filled with fruit (verses 12-14).
I think we all want to build a life close to God, but the distractions of the world are constantly pulling us off track and out of focus. The wisdom from Psalm 92 shows us that the life of long faith is not based just on leaps of faith but rather built on a daily cadence of praise at the start and finish of each day, a recognition of God’s wisdom and sovereignty, and a realization that he has crafted and anointed us for a purpose.
Grahm Barnard
God, I pray that as I begin today that I would walk in your heavenly pace for me. You are good and perfect in all of your ways, so I align my will to yours. Before distractions cloud my vision, I set my gaze upon you, that I would see your face clearly and trust your guidance to lead me throughout the day.
