The Rivers Clap Their Hands

MONDAY 2.25.08 - Psalm 98:5-9
make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn - shout for joy before the LORD, the King. Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.

I've had a joyful day. Writing to You at night simply feels weird, it doesn't have the same freshness. I don't know, my whole day is sitting there before me, both the good and the bad. The good, man today was the best day of my fast. Spiritually I wanted and desired Your presence all day long and seemed to find some measure of it.

I will tell You what the key has been the last couple days. Well, it's not a formula or magic cure all. But actually focusing on You instead of me really helps. It's like the book "A Long Way Down" that Bryan and I listened to on the way back from Florida last year. There is nothing in my life that has really changed over the past couple days. Same situations are obviously present. But, somehow I don't feel poorly about all this anymore. And all I've done (and I don't want to take credit at all), is pray a bit more.

And when I say pray a bit, I mean stupid prayers. That's what makes Your response all the more unbelievable. Prayers like, "LORD help Exodus." And that's it. But many times that I had empty space in my head today, I tried to fill it with those short prayers. Oh that this continues into tomorrow!

Shout for joy, for the LORD is king! I love this idea. I hate that I forget. You are in control, You are the reason to hope. Exodus needs You, because like the Pharisees we desire to be Your people, but unlike the Pharisees we don't want to get bogged down in our own traditions and rules so that we neglect what is more important. Don't let this joy be just for me, this inexplicable joy, but instead let it lead me into more prayer, and the prayer lead me to action for You.

I'm just spouting off right now. This is a very crazy emotional outburst. It is one that I do not understand. I have no reason to feel as optimistic as I do...but I do. If Christ is King then hope is real, no matter what the suffering or situation. Right now I feel that, maybe soon I won't. I don't know. But I want to thank You for a day lived in joy. And may creation join in the praise with me!