Wednesday, September 9, 2009

"$#@~%&*!!"

"Make a joyful noise to the LORD all the earth."
(Psalm 100:1)

When it comes to the most well-known psalms, there's Psalm 23 ("The LORD is my shepherd...") and then there's a HUGE gap before whatever psalm comes next.  Psalm 100 might be that #2 psalm.  It's opening line is also quite memorable: "MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE TO THE LORD!"

As I read this today, my heart stopped on the words "joyful noise."  I wonder what the ratio between praising God and cursing God is these days?  Granted, most people who "use God's name in vain" probably aren't actually associating God with their curse.  It just rolls off the tongue, "God &@##$+!"  And yet it literally pains my heart every time I hear these words - either via movies, TV show, or in person (in fact, I've begun the practice of immediately asking God to forgive whomever said it... "they know not what they do!").

How frustrating it must be for God - who created us all - to have to hear a "grumbling noise" all of the time from us!  The One who gives us so much (of himself, even!) often gets our worst.  So the psalmist challenges us to be intentional about making a joyful noise to the LORD.  In the morning when we rise ("Oh God, time to get up already!??)... while we're driving (especially with those "less thoughtful" drivers on the roads!)... when our kids get us frustrated (we can ask God's blessing upon them, instead of... well, you know!)... when we come to worship - expecting God to meet us ("Enter his courts with praise!").  May we be more intentional about making joyful noises to the LORD... and may praise & joy be ever on our lips!  AMEN.

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