My morning routine involves arriving at the office and sitting down to immediately write this devotional.  I usually have a plan for what I will be writing but sometimes I need to sit and read some Scripture and pray before I can get going.  This morning I came in with a plan and turned on some worship music and a song I had never heard came on.  I recognized the words from Psalm 103 and began singing along the best I could.  The words really hit me so I thought I’d share this passage instead.  Let’s look at it together today. 

Praise the Lord, my soul;
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—

who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord works righteousness
    and justice for all the oppressed.

He made known his ways to Moses,
    his deeds to the people of Israel:

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.

We were created to praise God.  We were made to be worshipers of Him.  When I think of praising the Lord with my soul, I picture pouring out everything I have for God.  I think sometimes we are all guilty of only giving God some and not all.  I sang a song I didn’t know and it hit me that I was holding back because of a lack of familiarity with the tune.  Thinking of the words of praising the Lord with my soul I realized that God doesn’t care if I get a word wrong or if my voice is out of tune or even how loud I sing.  God simply wants ALL of my praise.  Today, in the car, in your shower, in your living room, or wherever you are give God ALL of your praise.  He alone is worthy of it.

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave