Saturday, June 8, 2024  

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Today's Scripture
Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.

Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name.

For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (NRSV)

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Reflection

Pump, pump it up! Turn up the volume!

Psalm 100 tells us to make joyful noise and to come to God with joyful songs.

Doesn’t it feel amazing to solely focus on the fabulous! To dwell on all that is good and simply be thankful. It’s quite liberating to focus just on that fact and ignore the noise and the naysayers and the negativity that can interfere with our thankful celebration of God and God’s love.

The other day I went to my first Open Water Swim clinic, where I tried on a wet suit for the very first time. It was very binding, but I felt immediately warmer. We got in the icy cold and murky Lake Michigan water, and my feet and hands were freezing but the body was protected and kept warm by the wet suit. Then the instructor told me to just flip over and float on my back. Yeah right. I know how this will end. I know that every time I flip and try to float, my feet will sink and I will eventually end up vertical and not comfy floating on my back. But she assured me that the suit will keep me afloat. Yeah right!

Then voila! I was effortlessly floating! I didn’t have to exert any energy! I’ve been touting the virtues of wet suits for open-water swim ever since!

Yes, it’s a stretch but ... unexpected and effortless, not because of my determination or skillset but by its design.

Just like God’s love that wraps us in protected embrace and is given generously to us not because of our determination or skillset but because “God’s faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Praise be! Halleluiah! Just as Psalm 100 calls for all-out, shout-at-the-top-of-our-lungs celebration and exhortation!

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Prayer
Gracious and loving God, I will praise thee every day! I will sing to thee in my less-than-perfect voice, daily and forever thankful for your generous love for little, imperfect me. Amen.

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Written by Toni Yang, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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