Psalm 148: 11-13

Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young men and women alike, old and young together! Let them praise the name of the Lord. Ps. 148: 11-13

Are there times that you might feel that others should be responsible for praising God. Sometime I wonder just who is responsible for praising God. It is interesting that whenever I go somewhere, it is often expected that I would be the one who gives the blessing. The psalmist reminds us that we are all responsible for praising God. There are no special people who are to praise God to the exclusion of others. There is no age limit, no gender differences, no social status preferences.
I have been thinking about what are some of the obstacles that interfere with my praising God. I have noticed that lately I have been struggling with focusing on all the negatives in my life. These include not only dealing with other people but also with dealing with myself. Sometimes it seems easier to think badly about me than to acknowledge the things that I do well. I seem to spend more time dealing with the few negative thoughts and feelings than I do with the more positive thoughts and feelings. Much like not praising God for the changes and wonderful people who are close to me. And when I spend so much time dealing with these negative thoughts, I find that I am not as likely to praise God.
The entire Psalm as I blogged last night can fill that piece that I may feel is missing in my life. Recognizing that all of creation is praising God means that even if I have a difficult time doing so and I can lean on others praise to help see me through the difficult times. Having the strength that I can receive from others, I can lift my voice in praise. I hope that in your lives no matter where you are you can lift your voice in praise to the Lord.
Here is my prayer:
God see beyond my flaws and strengthen me to witness to your glory. Let your hand guide me and send me your spirit to direct me. Bestow on me Your vision, your will not mine. Guard me from my self-doubts and lead me to the calm waters. Clothe me in your righteousness. This I ask in the name of your Son, So be it.