I WILL...

I will exalt you, my God and King,

and praise your name forever and ever.

I will praise you every day;

yes, I will praise you forever.

Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise!

No one can measure his greatness.

Psalm 145:1-3

I will. I will. I will. Three times I am claiming, I will praise the LORD. This sounds like taking vows in marriage. I do, I will. The smile of celebration and joy of new life flows from my heart beating wildly with passion, peace and purpose. The future spread before me dances dreams across my mind connecting forgotten longings with God empowering possibilities!

Enter, life on a daily basis......sweating it out on mountain tops and in the valleys. Finding myself most days somewhere between the two......at times distant from the lover of my soul, dreams fading......limiting time, limiting energy, limiting calling, limiting life. Just the business of getting through the day committed by honoring the commitment.

I have said, "I will." And I have. But the real issue being missed is, "Do I now? At this very moment?" In the moment of frustration? In the moment of tiredness? In the moment of achievement? In the moment of failure? In the moment of pain? In the moment of fear? In the moment of isolation? In the moment of bitterness? In the moment of anger? In the moment of defeat? In the moment of loss? In the moment of victory? In the moment of joy? In the moment of crisis? In the moment of hurt? In the moment of celebration? In the moment of discipline? No, I can not in truth say that I do. That I always do. How ideal it would be. How glorious. How freeing. Even knowing, what irony it is, that it is those moments my heart grows callous and stubborn.....stiff necked as those saved folk in the wilderness. Praise can't be found on my lips and feels like saw dust in my mouth at some of those moments. Why? Why am I so unfaithful? It isn't like praise is beyond my ability. Could it be those are the moments of greatness treasure to give the heart of God? The sacrifice of praise.

I love praising the LORD! I love to praise Him everyday! It is the moments of unfaithfulness that brand me a harlot. I give what belongs to him to someone or something else. He created me, He has courted me, He has given me His heart and accepted mine in return. He covers all my sin. He is my constant companion, comforter, friend and savior. He is provider, shelter, Redeemer. He IS.

I will praise the LORD in the moments and be free from captivity. Free to love. Free to see Him. Free to live with Him. Free to have my heart and life one with him......moment by moment. Because it is the moments I live or die. Stone or flesh. Breath or perish.

I need you, Jesus. I gift moments to you for praise that I haven't been doing. I praise you for your love and faithfulness! YOU alone are WORTHY! Nothing and No one compares to YOU.

He alone is your God, the only one who is worthy of your praise, the one who has done these mighty miracles that you have seen with your own eyes.

Deuteronomy 10:21

Then Hannah prayed: My heat rejoices in the LORD! The LORD has made me strong. Now I have an answer for my enemies; I rejoice because you rescued me.

I Samuel 2:1

I called on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.

2 Samuel 22:4

The LORD lives! Praise to my Rock! May God, the Rock of my salvation, be exalted!

2 Samuel 22:46-47

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy.

Psalm 5:11

Now I stand on solid ground, and I will publicly praise the LORD.

Psalm 26:12

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again - my Savior and my God!

Psalm 43:5

I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you; I will praise your name, O LORD, for it is good.

Psalm 54:6

Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.

Psalm 63:3-4

But I will keep on hoping for your help; I will praise you more and more.

Psalm 71:14

I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion. I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the LORD.

Hosea 2:19-20

In the last days, God says,

I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy.

Your young men will see visions,

and your old men will dream dreams.

In those days I will pour out my Spirit

even on my servants - men and women alike -

and they will prophesy.

Acts 2:17-18