New sounds

May the peoples praise you, 0 God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
because you judge the peoples with justice
and guide every nation on earth. (verses 3,4)

Read Psalm 67

If only it would be that most of the people I know would truly praise God for wise and just guidance of the planets, stars, sun and moon! The psalm writer invites you and me to pray that people of every place, culture, ethnicity and situation would speak well of the Lord and be glad because of their life in relationship with the creator of life.

There are so many people, within and without the Christian church, who are weighed down and empty. I often find that when I am in the company of these weary travellers I secretly pray that the Lord would help them to make new sounds – sounds of speech about the good things the Lord has done and sounds of song with intense joy at their core.

Come to think of it, I long for days when it is me sharing the new sounds. I am the weary traveller and I need the gift of new sounds to come from my lips. How about you?

Heavenly Father, give me and all your people the new sounds of praise and joy to speak and sing today. Amen.

by Lindards Jansons, in ‘Living Water for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2001)

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