Words He Loves to Hear

Your lovingkindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies, Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; Your judgments are like a great deep, O LORD, You preserve man and beast. How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. Psalm 36:5-7

David was a man who could not say enough good about our God. In this passage alone He eludes to at least seven aspects of God: His loving kindness, His faithfulness, His righteousness, His judgments, His presence, His protection, and His person. The Psalms are filled with many more verbalized lists of who God is, what God is like, and what God does.

It was from the psalmist that I learned God is my rock, my defense, my shelter, my sustainer, my high tower, my shepherd, my comforter, my defender, my strength, my forgiver, my healer, etc…. Our God is not a distant, abstract God. He is personal and passionate about us and wants us to know Him on an intimate level.

This morning as I anticipate tomorrow’s day of Thanksgiving I want to make sure that my prayers of thanksgiving reflect and include the attributes of my God. While I am thankful for freedom, family, possessions, health, and friendships, I am most thankful for God Himself. May I find time amidst family gatherings and travel to slip away with Him and spend some time listing to Him all that I know about Him. May the words not come fast enough as I proclaim the truth of Him and all He means to me. As His intervention and interaction in my life come to mind, may praise fill my lips and tears fill my eyes. Heartfelt acknowledgement of His presence and person fills Him with delight!

So how can I do all of this on a practical level? Here are a few ways: read through some Psalms and slip my name into the verses, list God’s attributes using the alphabet (one for each letter), review the events of my life picturing Jesus in each scene, sing songs of worship back to Him, tell Him my deepest feelings about Him. The list is endless! The practice is powerful! The result will be astounding! May my anticipation for such a meeting build and may I integrate it into my daily life.

Father, while my list will never be complete it will be proclaimed with passion! You are beyond words but I will speak the ones I know. As your child, I delight in You, celebrate You, and acknowledge You. Amen.