With All--Psalm 9:1

Recently the Chicago Cubs won the World Series in Baseball.  It was a moment for the ages, because they hadn't won in ages!  108 years to be exact.  The whole city erupted in jubilant celebration.  It is still a topic of conversation and will be for quite some time.  Total praise for the Cubbies.  And deserved.  They did a great thing in the world of baseball.

This morning I read Psalm 9:1--"I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart."

And for a brief moment I compared my praise to the Lord to the city of Chicago's praise.  The Cubs did a great thing, and the praise was every bit "with all their heart."  And like so many others, when I approach the Lord, I find myself praising him with a casual heart, a little bit pressed to get to the list of burdens.  Important things like the welfare of our nation, a friend whose family relationships are struggling, another friend who just lost her mother in a terrible way.

But I keep coming back to the reality that if I'm praising the Lord with all my heart, making the time to do so, it puts my troubles into their appropriate context.  It is a reminder that God alone is on the throne, and He does great things.  As I heard someone say recently, "He makes good things out of good things and makes good things out of bad things."

So Lord, open my eyes to see your wonders!  And let my heart praise with you ever fiber.  For you alone are God!  In You we can have rest, peace and even joy no matter our surroundings.  Be exalted O God, above the heavens!  Let your glory be over all the earth!