Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
I want you to imagine you're sitting at home and then God walks into the room. What would you feel in that moment? What emotions would be stirred in you? Would it be awe, wonder, worship? How would you respond? Would you fall at His feet, bowing down before Him? Would you wrap your arms around Him? Would you shout with praise at the sight of God in your midst?
The Ark Returns to Jerusalem
In the book of 1 Chronicles we see a similar picture. After the Philistines had taken the Ark of the Covenant—the place where God's presence dwelt amongst Israel—it was finally being brought back into Jerusalem. God was walking back into their midst. King David, who was leading this whole thing at the time, sings this song of praise and adoration as the Ark is brought back into the city.
It's from this song that we get our Verse of the Day today. It comes from 1 Chronicles chapter 16, verse 32. It says, "Let the sea and everything in it shout His praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!"
Coming Home
One of my favorite moments of the day is when I finally get home from work. I pull into the driveway. I can see my kids' little faces poking out of our front room window, and as soon as my key clicks in that lock, I can hear the pitter-patter of footsteps running to the door, followed by our dogs howling.
As I open the door, I just hear this beautiful shout of "Dad! You're home!" They run up and they give me hugs. It's just this joyous moment. I can feel the love that my family has for me in the way that they welcome me home.
It's this thought that popped into my head as I was reading this song of David. Israel had been longing to have God's presence back in their midst. David had tried to bring the Ark back. It had failed, and he had waited months for this moment. Finally it was coming back to the city of David. All he could do was sing songs of praise and worship because Dad was coming home. Their heavenly Father was back in their midst.
All of Creation Should Shout His Praise
I love this verse because it wasn't even just enough for them to sing praises. David was saying all of creation should shout His praise.
I asked you to think about how you would respond if God walked into the room. Now I want to take it one step further. What does it mean to you that God has chosen to live within us?
God's Presence is with Us Now
I think so often our minds wait for this moment when Jesus comes back and all of the glory and splendor that it's going to be. Yet, right now, God's presence is with us every single moment of every day. I don't think I pause enough to really internalize that truth.
It's not some flowery metaphor. God is within you at all times. When you allow yourself to really feel that, I don't know how we can't respond in the same sort of praise and adoration.
Let All of Creation Praise
Sometimes it feels like it's just not enough for me to sing. I have these same feelings as David: "Let the seas and all the creatures in them shout His praises. Let the forests lift up songs of praise."
It is so powerful to realize that He has joined us in this life. I just want us to really, really ask ourselves: are we living like God has entered into our midst?
Even the Rocks Will Cry Out
I think about Jesus and the entrance where the religious leaders tell him to make everybody stop praising Him. He says, "If they stop, even the rocks will cry out."
When God shows up to a place, creation praises. We have God with us every single moment. It's time for us as His creation to praise His name.
