Joyful Noise

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

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.

(Psalm 100 – appointed for Christ the King)

As one of my spiritual disciplines, I have been trying to develop a greater spirit of gratitude.  Let’s just say that it is a work in progress.  It is not always easy feeling grateful, especially at 4:00 a.m. when the dogs bark to go out. If they could just wait two more hours.  But no, they have to go out pronto.  Dang.  So, I drag myself out of bed and stumble through the house with half-closed eyes.  You will hear no “joyful noise” from me at that hour, just muttering as I bump into the furniture.

Thinking about it later, when I am more awake, I realize there are plenty of things to be grateful for each morning.  I am grateful for my family and friends.  I am grateful to have a roof over my head and a bed to sleep in.  I am grateful that God has allowed me to see another day.  And I am grateful for our pets. I love the furry monsters, even at 4:00 a.m. If I would take the time to open my eyes fully, I might be able to see the countless blessings hidden in the darkness of the early morning.

But, all too often, I slog through my day with half-closed eyes.  No wonder I fail to notice so many blessings. Admittedly, what with the pandemic, the divisions and unrest in our country, and the personal challenges that attend daily living, it takes some serious looking to find some of those blessings. However, it is well worth the effort.  Looking for blessings and being grateful for them changes my entire way of being.  It is very easy for me to fall into a negative pattern of thinking.  And once I start down that negative road, I follow it to its bitter end.

On the other hand, if I begin my day from a perspective of gratitude, I react much more positively to whatever the day holds, even those things that might not be so pleasant.  I truly believe that if you keep your eyes open, you can find blessings in every experience.  And you will see that truly, “the Lord is good.”

This brings me to this coming Sunday, Christ the King, which is the last day of the church year.  It is a day to be thankful, a day to remember who is actually in charge (thankfully it’s not me). More than that, it is a day to celebrate the love, glory and majesty of God and to remember that God’s faithfulness and love “endures forever.”  Which means that no matter what disasters befall us, no matter what mistakes we make, we will never be beyond the love of God.  That is definitely a blessing for which to be grateful.

I know people who keep a “gratitude journal,” and they swear by the positive effect it has on their spiritual walk.  It is something I should do, but probably won’t.  I have enough trouble just keeping a basic spiritual journal.  However, I am working on being more grateful in my own way.  Tomorrow morning, when I hear that sharp bark from our Pomeranian Moose, I will try to hear it as an invitation to make a “joyful noise to the Lord.”  No promises; remember, I am a work in progress.

Take care and be joyful!