WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT?
This morning at our Morning Devotions we sang the beautiful old hymn written by Isaac Watts. I’d love to share the words with you:Jesus shall reign where'er the sun
Does its successive journeys run,
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.
To Him shall endless prayer be made,
And praises throng to crown His head.
His name like sweet perfume shall rise
With every morning sacrifice.
People and realms of every tongue
Dwell on his love with sweetest song,
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on his name.
Then all the earth shall rise and bring
The highest honors to our King,
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud amen.
This old hymn gives a picture of families all over the world meeting together for their morning devotions (and evening devotions). This is what godly families did in those days when this was written way back in about 1719. It even talks about the little children bringing their praises to the Lord each morning. Sadly, this biblical practice has gone out the window in most Christian homes today.
But can you image what He is picturing here? As parents gather their families to meet together each morning to read God’s Word, to pray, and to worship together, they are part of families all over the world who are giving their allegiance to God.
As the sun rises and goes across the world each family wakes at a different time and so there is a lifting up of continual praise to God from homes all over the world. Isn’t that beautiful? Its how it is meant to be. What does Psalm 113:3 say? “From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’s name is to be praised.”
And what about Malachi 1;11: “For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in EVERY PLACE incense (which speak of payer and praise to God) shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Do yo notice the words, “in every place”? Every morning and evening. In every home. In every state. In every country. Continual praise to God from all over the earth.
But oh, isn’t it sad, that so many families are breaking the continual praise going up to God? Is your family schedule too busy to fit in your morning and evening sacrifice?
When we don’t make time to gather our families to meet with Him each morning and evening, we show to our children that God is not No. 1 in our home. They grow up knowing that that all the other things that fill our lives (which are usually just things) are more important than God.
I have found in my experience that I have to MAKE THESE GATHERING TIMES in our home. If we don’t make them happen, they won’t happen. Life is so busy. There is so much going on. Every other thing in life can take the place of meeting with God. Therefore, we make these times happen and everything else in life fits around them. If we have to forego or miss out on other things, who cares? We are doing the most important.
Love from Nancy Campbell
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