“Stan,” I said to him one morning, “you seem to usually have something good to say about most everything. You seem to be kind of full of praise most of the time.”
“I have a lot for which to offer praise,’ he responded.
“Such as?” I asked.
“I know where I was, which was totally separated from God.”
“And,” he continued, “I know where I am now, in an ever-deepening relationship with God for whatever He has for me to be and to do on this side of eternity.”
“Furthermore,” Stan added, “I know where I’m going when my time on this side of eternity is over. Going to get on the train to glory. My time of doing and being while waiting for the train will be over, and I will be in the eternal presence of God!”
“In addition,” he continued, “all I have to do is look to see every provision I have that comes from God. When I take the time to look, there is no way for me to allow grumbling and complaining to replace the praise that is to be flowing from me to God.”
“Well,” I responded, “when you put it like that, I guess you do have a lot of reasons to be filled with praise.”
“It’s more than a guess, my friend,” Stan replied. “It’s a sure thing. There is no way for me not to be filled with praise if I will only keep my eyes on all God has provided, and is providing, for me on both sides of eternity.”
Concluding, he said, “Who wouldn’t or couldn’t be filled with praise?”
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O Lord, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee. I will give thanks to Thy name; for Thou hast worked wonders, plans formed long ago with perfect faithfulness. Isaiah 25:1.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for all of the reasons I have to praise you. You have given me the assurance of spending eternity with you when my time here is finished. You have given me the opportunity to know you and your Son on this side of eternity, all through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I confess that too often I do not praise you as I should because I choose to not focus on the reasons I have to praise you. I prefer to complain and grumble. Please forgive me. And please, Father, help me in following every step as you lead me in praising you just as you intend. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Is it easy or hard for you to offer praise to God? Do you sometimes think there is nothing to praise Him about? If so, do you need to think again? If you had a life filled with praise of God for His every provision, what would that look like?
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Comments, questions, suggestions, and the like can be addressed to S. Tory Teller at: waiting4thetrain@gmail.com.
Waiting for the Train 