You are my God! Power in praise!

Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.~Isaiah 25:1

There is power in praise because when you praise your mind shifts from what you can’t do to what He can do and has already done.  This morning I woke up fatigued and out of sorts.  I knew I needed to connect to and spend time with the only One who could help me and so I prayed.  So I jumped right to it.  I began to pour out all of my cares to God.  Sure, I was saying the “right” things.  I prayed His word, but honestly my prayer was fatigued too. My prayer lacked any real power because my prayer lacked praise.  

Yes, I know my intent was to get what I needed from my God who supplies all of my needs, but I never stopped to acknowledge that truth.  I didn’t stop to praise Him for all that He has already done.  I was in a prayer rut of only acknowledging that I had a problem.  I focused on the problem and not my amazing God.  Perhaps you have been there too.

But God in His infinite wisdom, providence, and timing led me to Isaiah 25:1. Lord, you are my God.  Just reading that one segment of the scripture quickened my Spirit.  Lord, you are my God.  Lord, I will exalt you.  I will lift you up above every problem and circumstance.  Lord, I will praise your name!  I praise You Jehovah Jireh, my provider( Genesis 22:14).  I will praise you El Shaddai, God Almighty ( Genesus 17:1)! I will praise You Jehovah Rapha, my healer ( Exodus 15:26)!  I will praise You for what You have already done and for Who You are!  

My blessings have not been something I have earned.  They are simply the evidence of His perfect faithfulness, His trustworthiness and His goodness.  He is so merciful and He has planned things for me long ago.  My God is intentional and even in this season of fatigue I will praise Him because I know even in this suffering there is a blessing.  The fact that He has given me  a mind and a heart to cry out to Him is a blessing.  

My strength is in the joy of the Lord.  He is my peace and I will praise His holy name.

No matter what we face God is with us and is worthy of praise.

Father I thank You for the grace of your Word and the strength that simply praising You brings.  Forgive me for those times when I have not just stopped to praise You and seek to be with You.  I know You can fix anything, but our relationship is so much more.  You are my God and Yiu are my friend. Lord, You lift me up.  You clothe me with a sound mind.  You restore my soul.  You are breathe of fresh air and I love You.   In Jesus name. Amen