Constantly Praising God

I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. Psalm 34: 1 NLT

Just as Paul said that we must pray without ceasing, so Psalm 34 tells us that we must praise God without stopping.

Can I do that?

Can you?

What would praising God all the time be like? I don't think I would have time to do anything else! I certainly would not be talking to anyone but God. It would be hard to write. I would probably be spending most of my time trying to get my brain to stop wandering off and thinking of something else.

Two things occur to me as I write this.

1. If I did attempt to praise God at all times, I certainly would be controlling my sinful thoughts and my unloving tongue. It would change what I think about and how I am focused.
2. Perhaps it isn't just the words I would use to praise God but how my actions could be a praise to God. Instead of just washing dishes because they were dirty and my family was expecting me to wash them, I would wash them for the glory of God. Washing dishes would then become a blessing rather than a chore. I think it was St. Benedict who thought along these same lines for the monks in his order: every action becomes a prayer.

Would that kind of living and praising not change you and me both?

God, I will praise you at all times with my thoughts and my actions. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2011 Amelia G. Sims