Praise our God, all peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard; he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping.
Psalm 66:8-9 NIV
God did not intend that life would be a joyless ordeal. On the other hand, it is God’s desire for us to experience joy. He wants us to experience joy abundantly and always. God desires that we should live a life full of joy and sharing the same with others. The Psalmist is therefore, inviting us to experience an overwhelming joy through praise. It is an invitation to all people, of every tribe, tongue, and gender, young and old alike.
Joy is an act of relating to God with gratitude for the good gifts He gives. Joy comes when we experience and acknowledge God’s love and care for us; when we allow ourselves to express our gratitude for His love with great energy. Without a genuine reflection upon our lives, we might be easily caught up in error of being ungrateful, especially because of the various challenges that life brings our paths. Meanwhile, it is important to note that the devil is striving earnest to steal our joy. In fact, he would do anything to ensure the believer’s eye is away from God and His goodness. Because when we spent more time thinking about our challenges, we are overwhelmed by it and lost every reason to praise God.
Whether you’re mindful of this or not, the reality is that you have scaled through several days and weeks already in this year. God has brought you to this very point of your life, isn’t that enough a reason to burst forth with an overwhelming joy. The devil wishes that you slip and break your legs, but God did not allow that to happen to you. Are you still standing in the faith? It is because God kept you from slipping. So, let us make praise to God a lifestyle; let us proclaim His goodness and love. Let us not be silent in acknowledging His love and care for us. Likewise, let us not loose our joy for the hope of eternal life.
He alone could have done this; He has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. What other gifts have you received from God that you would like to praise Him for? What joy would you like to express to God today?
