No, the title isn’t a typo. I intentionally used the word ‘holy’ instead of ‘holiday’. Centuries ago people would leave their work and daily lives to celebrate ‘holy’ days. It was not to travel to the favorite location of leisure. Of course, the people looked forward to these days and most often they were times of joy. Their burdens would be laid down for a few days, they would see friends not seen in a while, and their children would play with other children, creating memories remembered for years to come. But the main reason for the trip was the ‘holy’ day that had been set aside to honor God. We are now entering into the ‘holy’ day season. The months of November and December are traditionally months for Thanksgiving and Celebration. We are encouraged to thank God for his blessings and celebrate the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The challenge for us is simple and if we will do this, it will transform us spiritually. Every hour, spend one-minute praising the Lord. Tie a ribbon on the mirror of your vehicle. Tie a cord around your wrist. Tape a reminder on the fridge. David wrote many times in the Psalms about praising God. One of my favorite Psalms is the 103rd. There are only 22 verses but they are jam packed with David remembering the mercies of God. Three sections can be found in this psalm.
- David remembers the mercy of God Personally. The first five verses share David’s thoughts as he talks to himself. I can visualize David taking one minute often in his praising the Lord. As he writes this psalm I imagine him having to stand up, and walk around a moment because the joy of the Lord and His goodness overwhelmed him. The holy name of God is to be praised. He begins five of the verses in this psalm with the word “bless.” He is determined not to forget the goodness of God. He praises God for forgiveness and health. He praises God for protection and giving him kindness and tender mercies. He praises God for good things to eat and renewed energies. If we simply used David’s list we could praise God for a minute each hour we are awake.
- David remembers the mercy of God to the People. Verses 6-18 recount the blessings of God to Israel. He reminds the people about God giving them Moses and forgiving their sins. He reminds them that God is like a loving father that cares and is kind to His children. The mercy of God has no limit for Israel and he reminds them that God knows they are frail and as dust. Can we not learn these truths also? The Lord has been good to us as a people. The least we could do during this ‘holy’ season is to praise him often during the day for one solid minute.
- David reminds the angelic realm to Praise Why? God’s kingdom rules over all things celestial and terrestrial. The strong angels need to listen to his word. The Lord’s hosts and ministers that are at God’s beckon call are to praise. Even the works that God has created are to bless the Lord. We find all this in the third section, verses 19-22.
Grab your ribbon or string. Tie it on your wrist, put it on the fridge or the mirror in the bathroom or vehicle. Place a reminder on your desk at work and during these ‘holy’ days, take one-minute each hour to praise God for His blessings. The doxology is a beautiful song I learned my first year in college. “Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him all of ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.” I’m planning on more praising this ‘holy’ day season. Come join me.