Praise Upon Praise Upon Praise Upon . . .

 Wednesday morning I was listening to The Worship Initiative. This is one of my favorite resources for a few minutes of worship time each week morning. It’s like a mini podcast where they share a hymn or praise song every day and then a devotional that goes along with it. I highly recommend it!

 The focus that morning was on praise. And there was one thought presented that I loved: that “the prerequisite for praise is breath. And the prerequisite for praise is no breath.” If you have breath - men and women, boys and girls - praise the Lord. If you have no breath - rocks and hills and the ocean and all of creation - praise the Lord! Let all nations, all peoples, all creation praise.

 So in light of our first morning in our own building after years of waiting following the 2020 tornado, let’s do that - let’s bring praise upon praise:

 

Praise Upon Praise

We praise You for this space, this place

We praise You for a building to be

We praise You for the rooms for classes

We praise You for the auditorium for learning,

Singing, growing

 

We praise You for the body that is the church

We praise You for our friends, our family

That we are there together, but that it is

The together that matters more

 Than the bricks and walls

 

We praise You for the time we were waiting

It was hard and at times confusing

But we stated what we knew to be true

Your timing is good and perfect and You chose us

To be taught the patience and to be taught together

 

We praise You for the hands that have worked so hard

For the minds that planned, for the people who have met

We praise You for the paint on the walls

We praise You for the windows and the stairs

And the roof and the chairs

Praise Upon Praise Upon Praise

 

We praise You for the hands we can raise

We praise You for the voices singing in the choir

We praise You for the people you have brought together

To be a local church, loving, supporting,

Worshipping together

 

We praise You for the trials You allow

Those who are hurting physically, emotionally

The burdens we can help one another bear

We praise You for the times we are weak so that our only hope

Is the strength You provide

 

We praise You for the times of peace

For the mercy You give when we don’t deserve it

We praise You for the days of rejoicing and the times

That we are reminded of the hope eternal

That only You can give

 

We praise You for the body of Christ

We praise You for those around the world

That praise Your name in different languages

And rhythms and cultures

That it is our one true God who unites us all

 

Praise Upon Praise Upon Praise Upon Praise

 

We praise You that you are our Father

That You are good and have a plan

We praise You that You loved us first

And that You hold us to comfort and hold us

To a standard of holiness

 

We praise You that when we couldn’t meet that standard

You gave Your Son

We praise You for Your sacrifice

We praise You for Your rescue

And for the friend that Jesus is to us

 

We praise You that You gave us Your Spirit

To lead us in love and joy and peace

We praise You for the help that He is

We praise You for Your Word

That we understand and apply with our Guide

 

We praise You that You heal

We praise You that You hear

We praise You that You protect

We praise You that You restore

We praise You that You are good

We praise You that You are right

We praise You for You are worthy

 

We praise, Nosotros alabamos, Nous Louons, Wir Preisen…

Praise Upon Praise…

 --Sandy Gromacki