Week 3 - Day 1 - Holy! Holy! Holy!

TIES OF GRACE DAILY DEVOTIONS

WEEK 3: Holy, Holy, Holy! 

Day 1: 

Exodus 19:5-6

⁵ Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, ⁶ you^[a] will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

1 Peter 2:9

⁹ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.



We have spent time the last couple of weeks realizing just what it is God can and does do for us.  He helps us in our time of sorrow, struggle, and deep needs.  He provides a way to peace that only He can bring.  He truly is our help!  This week, I feel led just to spend some time in praise.  The verses above cross reference one another as examples of whom we are (God’s treasured possession, a chosen people, a royal priesthood!) and why we are here (to declare His praises because He has called us out of darkness!)  It’s amazing to me really, how easily we lose focus of our sole purpose on this earth.  We get caught up and bogged down by the circumstances and even just the day to day living this side of heaven and we flat forget that none of it matters if praise isn’t on our lips and in our hearts.  I have spent a lot of time crying out to God.  My husband and I have really had a lot of reasons over the course of our marriage in circumstances beyond our control.  But my goodness, if nothing else goes right, we have a reason to praise for we have been called out of darkness into His marvelous light and He treasures us!  The God who created the glorious oceans, the spectacular sunsets, the majestic mountains… my children and yours… from the most amazing animals to the tiniest bugs, that God calls us  His treasured possession!  Satan is constantly whispering… or shouting… in our ears to look at the things we can see only from our view.  But God, in His precious love, is constantly whispering, “No child!  Just look at me!”  So this week, we will look at Him.  We will spend time praising Him from His own word and then my prayer is all who feel led, will leave a message of praise in the comments.  It doesn’t have to be big.  It doesn’t have to be fancy.  It may be as simple as praising Him for the breath you are taking.  But each of us, no matter what our circumstances, were created for the purpose to praise the One true God who is mightier and more worthy of our attention than any one circumstance.  I know sometimes it is tough.  I know that sometimes the circumstances are so heavy that we can barely breath, much less feel the need to praise.  But the thing is praise isn’t about feelings.  It is about realizing that God is who He says He is and we are here for the soul purpose of knowing that.  Tonight, many things make me not “feel” like praising.  Many things are trying to steal my desire to worship.  But no matter all of that, He, the One who is Holy, has loved me right out of the darkness and into the light so He can call me His treasured possession.  So I am going to tell Satan to shut up and I am going to claim my inheritance and I am going to say, “Holy! Holy! Holy!”  What about you?