So Be It...

9/2/2009

Psalm 106:1-6, 13-23, 47-48 (NRSV)
God will remember the people

Praise the Lord!
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Who can utter the mighty doings of the Lord,
or declare all his praise?
Happy are those who observe justice,
who do righteousness at all times.

Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people;
help me when you deliver them;
that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,
that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
that I may glory in your heritage.

Both we and our ancestors have sinned;
we have committed iniquity, have done wickedly. ...

But they soon forgot his works;
they did not wait for his counsel.
But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,
and put God to the test in the desert;
he gave them what they asked,
but sent a wasting disease among them.

They were jealous of Moses in the camp,
and of Aaron, the holy one of the Lord.
The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,
and covered the faction of Abiram.
Fire also broke out in their company;
the flame burned up the wicked.
They made a calf at Horeb
and worshiped a cast image.
They exchanged the glory of God
for the image of an ox that eats grass.
They forgot God, their Savior,
who had done great things in Egypt,
wondrous works in the land of Ham,
and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
Therefore he said he would destroy them -
had not Moses, his chosen one,
stood in the breach before him,
to turn away his wrath from destroying them. ...

Save us, O Lord our God,
and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
And let all the people say, "Amen."
Praise the Lord!

DEVOTION

Today, I am struck by the statement, Let all the people say, “Amen." Praise the Lord!

I have been taught that “Amen” means, “so be it.” So today, I want to invite you to make “so be it” your prayer of praise.

Another way of saying “so be it” is to say, “Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.”

In today’s scripture the writer comes to God confessing his sin and the sin of the Hebrew People. He recounts their unfaithfulness, idol worship, and testing of God and then he asks for the forgiveness and salvation of God.

I love the humble spirit with which he prays, “Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.”

This statement suggests that the natural and appropriate response to the salvation of God is to lift up our voices in worship and in praise!

I am so glad that God attended to the salvation of my soul, when Love gave Jesus to die on the cross to save me from my sin and gift me with eternal life.

Whilst this is the ultimate salvation, God continues to “save” me every day by keeping me healthy, happy, holy and holy. God “saves” me as God extends favor, prosperity, and joy! God “saves” me in every moment of my life, as I continually receive God’s forgiveness, mercy, and amazing grace!

If we think about it, we will realize that God is continually “saving” us from dangers seen and unseen. God is constantly making a way out of no way for us! God is always protecting us from ourselves, our circumstances, and from others who may wish us harm.

I don’t know about you, but today, I feel a “SO BE IT PRAISE” rising up in my spirit! As I receive the forgiveness and salvation of God, I am compelled to share the Good News that Jesus saves and He saves to the utmost!

Praise the Lord! O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever…

God is good (all the time)! Let us praise God’s holy name together!

And The Church says, “AMEN.”

Won't you pray with me?

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us of our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever, Amen.