Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God – Day 11 Crop Planter

Posted on August 13, 2024 by Jill English Johnston

Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!
Let the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Psalm 96:12

Climbing toward the azure skies,
Stunning splendor testifies.

First the peaches—fuzzy and firm—to be plucked from the branches. Then the blueberries blanketing the bushes plump and blue. Tomatoes—rich and red— dangling from leafy stalks, poised to be picked. White fields of wheat softly swaying in the afternoon breeze, ripe for the harvest and ready to be gleaned. Finally, heavy clusters of deep purple grapes clinging to the vine, bursting with sweet juices to brighten the eyes. 

Our Heavenly Father covered the earth with every sort of seed-bearing plant and trees that grow with seed-bearing fruit (Genesis 1:11-12). Everything was given as food for the animals and people he created (Genesis 1:29-30, 2:15-16). Our Father also gives us Jesus, the new Branch, bearing the Spirit’s abundant fruit—wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:1-3). Jesus calls his followers to stay attached to him that we too might bear spiritual fruit in our lives (John 15:4).

Pause and take time to browse a vegetable garden, a fruit orchard, or the produce aisle in the grocery store. Consider the variety of colors, textures, scents, and flavors. Notice the assortment of roots, gourds, berries, fruits, nuts, and leafy greens. What might our Father be speaking to you in this moment? 

Praise our Heavenly Father for the delightful foods he’s given us to eat. Praise him for his Son, Jesus, the Branch that gives us life. 

Pray.

Heavenly Father,
You are the Crop Planter.
Let my praises reach the skies and testify of your glory.
Amen.

For the story behind Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God, visit the first blog in the Praise series.

If you’d like to see all the books currently available in my Be Still series, visit my Be Still page.

All the books in the Be Still series are available on Amazon. Visit my author page Jill English Johnston.

Grace and Peace

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Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God – Day 10 Ocean Salter

Posted on August 6, 2024 by Jill English Johnston

Praise the Lord from the earth,
you creatures of the ocean depths,
Psalm 148:7

And like the golden rays on beaches,
It touches every heart it reaches.

Salt fills our oceans, creating a unique environment for animal and plant life. It has also proven useful for culinary, agricultural, medicinal, and industrial purposes throughout history. Vital to our health and well being salt helps to maintain fluid balance within our cells and tissues, generate and transmit electrical signals in our nervous system, regulate blood pressure and volume, and enable muscle contraction.

With its life giving properties, the ancients valued salt in their religious traditions. According to their law, the Jewish people used salt to produce a pure and holy incense (Exodus 30:35), seasoned their grain offerings with salt to remind them of their Heavenly Father’s eternal covenant (Leviticus 2:13,) and called their committed relationship with him a Covenant of Salt (Numbers 18:19). Jesus called his followers the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13a) as a reminder of their role in the community. Our Heavenly Father gives us Jesus, his Salt Shaker, that we might bring life, add flavor, and preserve his goodness in the world.

Pause and take time to prepare a meal using salt. Notice its physical properties and how it enhances the flavor of the foods. Consider how it preserves the longevity of food’s usefulness. What might our Father be speaking to you in this moment?

Praise our Heavenly Father for the life-giving virtue of salt. Praise him for his Son, Jesus, heaven’s Salt Shaker in the world.

Pray.

Heavenly Father,
You are the Ocean Salter
Touch my heart with your love and let it spread to those around me. Amen.

For the story behind Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God, visit the first blog in the Praise series.

If you’d like to see all the books currently available in my Be Still series, visit my Be Still page.

All the books in the Be Still series are available on Amazon. Visit my author page Jill English Johnston.

Grace and Peace

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Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God – Day 9 Creation Commander

Posted on July 30, 2024 by Jill English Johnston

Let every created thing give praise to the Lord,
for he issued his command, and they came into being.
Psalm 148:5

Beauty born from hidden places,
Fills your world with gentle graces.

Love—an often overworked and overused word—when shown authentically and tangibly, has the power to heal, transform, and change the world around it. Expressed in many ways, love brings life through words of encouragement and edification, by acts of kindness and service, with gifts and special gestures, in time spent together, and from gentle touches and hugs. 

Our Heavenly Father, the Commander of all creation, promised that though mountains may move and hills disappear, his faithful love will remain (Isaiah 54:10). He expressed his greatest love when he became human and made his home among us (John 1:14). Jesus emphasized this love when he told his followers to love each other, just as he had loved them (John 13:34). Our Heavenly Father gives us Jesus, the embodiment of his Love, radiating his glory, expressing his character, and sustaining everything by the mighty power of his command (Hebrews 1:3).

Pause and take time to demonstrate love to someone. Consider the many ways that love can be expressed, through words, deeds, gifts, time, and touch. Notice how love impacts and affects the recipient. What might our Father be speaking to you in this moment? 

Praise our Heavenly Father for his faithfulness. Praise him for his Son, Jesus, the manifestation of Love. 

Pray..

Heavenly Father,
You are the Creation Commander.
Continually work your gentle beauty into my heart.
Amen.

For the story behind Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God, visit the first blog in the Praise series.

If you’d like to see all the books currently available in my Be Still series, visit my Be Still page.

All the books in the Be Still series are available on Amazon. Visit my author page Jill English Johnston.

Grace and Peace

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Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God – Day 8 Flower Bloomer

Posted on July 23, 2024 by Jill English Johnston

The grasslands of the wilderness
become a lush pasture,
and the hillsides blossom with joy.
Psalm 65:12

And meadow flowers bloom for you,
In vibrant yellows and brilliant blues.

Spring comes early in the Texas Hill Country. February brings the grape-scented, purple clusters of the Mountain Laurel. Then the infamous Blue Bonnets emerge from their five-petaled leaves. Mexican Hats and Indian Blankets add their yellows and reds, along with Winecups and Indian Paintbrush. Soon the Crepe Myrtles, Esperanzas, and Pride of Barbados join in the color parade. 

When Scripture describes the blessings that come from our Heavenly Father it often does so with descriptions of wastelands blossoming and flowers blooming (Isaiah 35:1-2). In times of trials and exile, he comforts with promises of well-watered gardens (Isaiah 51:3, Jeremiah 31:12). Jesus contrasts the care our Father has for the lilies to his greater care for us (Matthew 6:28-30). Indeed, our Father gives us Jesus, the Lily of the Valley as his greatest blessing (Song of Songs 2:1) .

Pause and take time to smell the roses. Visit the countryside in bloom, a botanical garden, or a flower shop. Consider the array of colorful blooms. Notice their varied scents, the shape of their petals, and the feelings that they evoke. What might our Father be speaking to you in this moment? 

Praise our Heavenly Father for the beauty he brings in the springtime. Praise him for his Son, Jesus, the Lily of the Valley, the fairest in all the garden. 

Pray.

Heavenly Father,
You are the Flower Bloomer.
May the things I do every day be done for you.
Amen.

For the story behind Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God, visit the first blog in the Praise series.

If you’d like to see all the books currently available in my Be Still series, visit my Be Still page.

All the books in the Be Still series are available on Amazon. Visit my author page Jill English Johnston.

Grace and Peace

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Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God – Day 7 Song Writer

Posted on July 16, 2024 by Jill English Johnston

Everything on earth will worship you;
they will sing your praises,
shouting your name in glorious songs.
Psalm 66:4

The murmurs of a mountain spring,
With your praises loudly sing.

All of nature has a chorus, an ensemble of earthly melodies and harmonies, giving glory to our Heavenly Father. The bees and their buzzing. The birds and their chirping. The breeze and its blowing. The beach and its sloshing. The brook and its babbling. The cacophony of creation proclaiming his praise.

When God freed his people from captivity, they declared him their strength and song. He gave them victory and they praised and exalted him (Exodus 15:2). When his people were in exile, the looked forward to the day when they would return home, singing with joy and gladness (Isaiah 35:10). Even now, our Heavenly Father delights in us and rejoices over us with joy-filled songs ( Zephaniah 3:17). He gives us Jesus, our Song, that we might sing with thankful hearts (Colossians 3:16).

Pause and take time to listen to a song about our Heavenly Father’s love and saving grace. Consider the words, the musical instruments, and the composition. Notice the emotions and memories the song evokes. What might our Father be speaking to you in this moment? 

Praise our Heavenly Father for the gift of sound, for ears that hear, and for those who compose words of worship and adoration. Praise him for his Son, Jesus, the Song that resides in every heart and part of creation. 

Pray.

Heavenly Father,
You are the Song Writer.
Let my whispered praises loudly declare who you are.
Amen.

For the story behind Praise: Proclaiming the Glory of God, visit the first blog in the Praise series.

If you’d like to see all the books currently available in my Be Still series, visit my Be Still page.

All the books in the Be Still series are available on Amazon. Visit my author page Jill English Johnston.

Grace and Peace

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