Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So

Photo of Worship by John Benitez on Unsplash.

Recently, I received bad news and struggled to process its implications. My mind started to swirl into ugly places. A friend asked me to go to the gym. I agreed, thinking it would relieve stress.
As I walked towards the elliptical, she recognized something was wrong. I couldn’t form words, so she asked if I wanted her to start praising God. I nodded.

“We praise God for His faithfulness. He is Jehovah-Jireh, Our Provider. He is Jehovah-Nissi, Our Banner who fights for us. God has always made a way, and will continue to do so. We trust God because of Who He is and all He has done….”

While she praised, the atmosphere shifted. The fog that stifled my head and sucked out my hope lifted. Instead, I remembered the character of God and His proven track record. While the things I heard were mind-boggling, God was still greater.

The longer we praised together, the deeper we entered His presence. Psalm 100:4 says, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (KJV). God inhabits the praise of His people. We brought the glory of the Lord into the gym as we thanked God for what He had done and blessed His holy name.

Because God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23), each day we have another opportunity to announce the goodness of God. We aren’t to keep these testimonies to ourselves. Psalm 149:1 says, “Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, And His praise in the assembly of saints” (NKJV). We should sing aloud of His greatness with other faithful believers. Sharing our testimonies helps build the faith of those around us. If God helped us, He will help others as well.

Another reason the praise was so powerful was because we rejoiced together. Recent neuroscience tells us that joy is built in the context of community. Because of mirror neurons, we can’t learn new things from watching ourselves. Instead, as we look to others, we see what they do and copy it. When those around us worship through their storms, our lips pour out praise too.

When something good happens, our natural tendency is to want to tell others. Psalm 66:16 says, “Come and hear, all you who fear God, And I will declare what He has done for my soul” (NKJV). As we declare the deeds of the Lord to our friends, the praise multiplies. I enjoy sharing the good things that happened to me, you enjoyed hearing them, and God rejoiced at the recognition He rightfully deserves. Its win, win, win!

Though I entered the gym with a heavy heart, my spirit lifted after a round of praise. While I didn’t know what the future held, I knew who held my future. I would choose to offer a sacrifice of praise instead of wallowing in doubt. Psalm 107:2 says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy” (NKJV).

I will worship through the storm, knowing the Lord had already redeemed me from the enemy. May we focus on the Lord and trust in His goodness (Isaiah 26:3) no matter what threatens us. Then we receive His peace that passes understanding that guards our hearts (Philippians 4:7).

• What good things has the Lord done for you? Please share them below so we may rejoice with you and worship the Lord together.