We have recently resurrected this song at our church, and sing it after we to the offering.
These are the words:
"Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow;
Praise Him all Creatures Here Below;
Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Such a simple song, but it shares so many wonderful things.
It tells us to Praise God, because of all the blessings that flow from Him. Have you taken some time today to focus on the blessings in your life? It is a great thing to do each day. Often we can just focus in on the negative. But to train our brain to instead go to the positive blessings in our day lifts our spirits, and helps us realize what incredible things are going on in our lives.
Today, my blessings included time with my family, time with a special friend who challenges me to reach beyond the norm, making a sad friend happy using emoticons, seeing a rainbow after a storm, taking a nap, and walking in the morning with a friend.
It tells all the creatures to Praise God. Do you ever look at animals and what they do as a praise to God? Or are they just annoying? Like the birds chirping in the morning. My friend thought the birds chirping out her window this morning were loud and annoying. I, on the other hand, loved to listen to the birds. They help me get back to sleep in the morning. And perhaps this chirping is their way of praising their Creator. Hey, Jesus tells the Pharisees in the book of Luke that if they keep the people from praising God, that even the rocks will cry out. So I think it can and does happen.
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts. One of my favorite images in the Bible is from the book of Revelation in Chapter 4. Here is the passage of Scripture:
After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”
I have been in church services where I am praising and worshiping God, and think of this passage in scripture, and get a small, minute glimpse of what it will be like in Heaven, worship God all the time. It is still incomprehensible, but yet I find it exciting to think about and look forward to experiencing it.
And finally, praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. We give our praise to God the Father, to Jesus the Son and to the spirit of God, the Holy Ghost. Three separate yet the same. The parts of a whole. God, the Father, the Creator. Jesus, the Son, the sacrifice who died for our sins, so we could be reconciled back with God. And the Holy Ghost, God's Spirit who guides us and comforts us and helps us understand what God the Father is trying to tell us.
Praise is good. It gets the focus off of ourselves, and onto where it should be.
So, for such a simple little song, it helps me put my focus where it should be....praising the Father, The Creator....the Almighty God.
1 comment:
Just love your words! I miss singing that on Sundays...
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