Sing Praises, O Gentiles

Creation: A Divine Cycle
Praise from and for God's Creation

All Creation Overflows With Praise

Romans 15:7-13. The Message

7-13 So reach out and welcome one another to God’s glory. Jesus did it; now you do it! Jesus, staying true to God’s purposes, reached out in a special way to the Jewish insiders so that the old ancestral promises would come true for them. As a result, the non-Jewish outsiders have been able to experience mercy and to show appreciation to God. Just think of all the Scriptures that will come true in what we do! For instance:
Then I’ll join outsiders in a hymn-sing;
I’ll sing to your name!
And this one:
Outsiders and insiders, rejoice together!
And again:
People of all nations, celebrate God!
All colors and races, give hearty praise!
And Isaiah’s word:
There’s the root of our ancestor Jesse,
    breaking through the earth and growing tree tall,
Tall enough for everyone everywhere to see and take hope!
Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!

For Reflection

To know God and not to participate in God's intention for God's people is to not know God at all! God, in this sense, God is more of an acquaintance, or perhaps, just another character in the neighborhood.  If one truly knows God, one will act like it.  If one knows God, one will be more Christ like.  If one knows God, others will recognize one's goodness.  If one knows God, one's soul is filled with the joy and peace of the Holy Spirit.  If one knows God, righteousness will be written across one's forehead for all to see.

Pray

that you will walk in praise of God.  Pray that you will walk with the joy of God in your soul.  Pray that you will be a beacon of God's trust and hope for others.