by Pastor Steve Nickodemus

Everything That Has Breath

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link.

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord!”
Psalm 150:6 English Standard Version

What does it mean to worship?  Often we confine worship to something we do for a prescribed amount of time on Sunday morning, a group singing and playing instruments.  That certainly is worship, a time to praise God together.

But the writer of this Psalm sees a much bigger picture about worship.  He sees everything and everyone in the universe praising God with all that they have and all of their breath.  Everyone is singing with full voice and everyone is playing an instrument, all focused on praising God.  And this praise is not confined to Sunday morning but is continually being lifted up to God in every time and every place.  Every living creature and yes, even the animals and the trees and the mountains will shout with joy and praise for all that God has done.

What is this praise about?  We praise God because He is worthy of praise and because He has done all things well and because He has remembered us in His mercy.  We praise God because He sent His only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ who died upon the cross and rose again that we might live in forgiveness and eternal life forever.  We praise God because He provides for our every need and always remembers us no matter what our circumstances.  We praise God because of His steadfast love and faithfulness, His mercy and compassion, His greatness and His patience with us.

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord!

We praise you, O Lord, for your goodness to us in Christ Jesus, your Son and our Savior.  We praise you with all that we have and in every place and time.  We praise you, O Lord!  Amen.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church Colorado Springs, Colorado