Happy Monday from San Francisco! I’m back on the West coast for, you guessed it, meetings with IBM, and also a few others yesterday and today.
Here’s a photo from yesterday’s meeting:
(No, we didn’t drink all of that wine and no, not all of my meetings are like that one. But many are. That’s the world of a wine tech start-up, my friends! We were talking data science, cognitive computing, coding, Watson, user experience and expansion into other countries. It was a great meeting.)
But back to where we are/ should be right now:
This morning’s Psalm takes me back to a middle school church retreat where we talked and learned about praising God. I’ll share more in today’s SOAP.
And, so, here is what heard in Psalm 47 using SOAP:
Scripture: Psalm 47: 6
Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
Anyone else hear Third Day singing as they read that one?
Observation:
Tell Him why He is awesome. Thank Him for His provision.
Application:
Here is where we get to that lesson from middle school:
When we praise Him, praise Him. Tell him thank you and give him specifics. When we praise our children or people in our life, we don’t say “Praise you,” we say “Wow, I loved it when you helped me carry the groceries into the house,” or “Thank you for taking the time to show me how to do that, I really appreciate you. You have some mad skills,” or “I really appreciate you spending time with me and guiding me. I trust your intuition and it means a lot that you would help me see your perspective.”
Just saying “Praise Him,” doesn’t praise. It might convey that it is important to praise, but it doesn’t praise.
So, instead of just saying you will praise Him or that others should praise Him, actually praise Him: He is awesome, tell HIM all about it!
Prayer:
Lord, you amaze me daily, you really do.
Sometimes I can barely believe where I am in life, with my family, with my friends, where you have taken my business, and then I know that you are behind me and in front of me, guiding me as I listen and I can only smile and thank you for guiding me here and giving me so many gifts along the way. I wonder what all you have in store for me ahead. It’s going to be good, whatever it may be.
You have been setting me up for just this moment, and the moments that follow, for years. You have guided me through lessons and will continue to pull me through some more, I have no doubt.
Thank you for a supportive, brilliant, loving husband. Thank you for encouraging parents. Thank you for responsible, compassionate, healthy kids. Thank you for the caring school they attend. Thank you for the friends who are helping as I am away so often. Thank you for your guidance since my birth, for not giving up, and for always calling me back to you. Thank you for the opportunities you have shared and the courage you have given me to pursue them.
You are an incredible, caring, kind, faithful God. You amaze me. I am truly thankful for your direction. When I look back and see all the many seemingly tiny paths you have set me on and how they have grown me to be where I am and opened doors I needed opening or gave me the confidence boost I needed right when I needed it, I am flabbergasted by your love and brilliance. Thank you. I love you. You really do rock!
And that salvation thing… thank you for that, too. You sure love each and every one of us, and want us with you and have given so much so that we can be with you eternally. Thank you. I love you. You amaze me.
In your son’s precious name,
Amen
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