Friends in Christ Weekly Message
April 27, 2001

You did it: you changed wild lament
   into whirling dance;
You ripped off my black mourning band
   and decked me with wildflowers.
I'm about to burst with song;
   I can't keep quiet about you.
God, my God,
   I can't thank you enough.
Psalm 30:11-12 (The Message*)

Once again this week we are using a scripture bursting with praise for God. It is a persistent theme in the Bible, and one that needs also to be persistent in our hearts.

In this psalm, attributed to David, the psalmist indicates that he had come to believe in his own security, forgetting that true security comes from God. Then he became very sick, but God brought him out of his illness. He is thus reminded of the source of true security and of the blessings that are bestowed upon us.

Those of us who live relatively comfortable lives often make the same mistake. We begin to believe that we are secure in and of ourselves. Often it causes some big disruption to our lives - major illness, death of a loved one, break-up of a marriage, loss of employment, etc. - to remind us that worldly security is really a fragile thing. The only security that truly endures is that which comes from reliance upon God.

However, we don't have to wait for some calamity to remind ourselves of our dependence upon a loving God. Each day, we can consider the blessings in our lives and thank God for them. We can live a life of praise and joy. Then when difficult times come, we will already be in a secure relationship with God, and will understand that God will be with us in the storms of life and bring us safely through.

Do you thank God each day for the blessings God has bestowed on you? When times are difficult, do you give your cares and worries to God, trusting that He will see you through? Does your heart burst with praise to God?

Bill Samuel

* The Message version © by Eugene H. Peterson.