Weekly Devotion

October 18 2020

October 18, 2020
Submitted by Brenda West

Read Psalm 148

When COVID-19 hit, the office where I work closed and we began working from
home. I quickly learned how to use “GotomyPC”, a program that connects my laptop
at home with my work computer. Being able to sleep a little later, get my work
done and still have time to catch up on yard work and projects long neglected,
wasn’t so bad.

We were asked to return to work on June 1 st . However, it wasn’t long before we
were sent home again. This time it felt different. I felt different.

One morning, I was sitting under an old oak tree, planted by my husband’s
grandfather, reading my Bible and enjoying the beautiful weather. I turned to Psalm
148, and it hit me. My focus had been on the trials caused by the pandemic and not
the creator of the old, oak tree. As I looked up through the branches to the sky
above my focus changed:

Let them praise the name of the LORD,
   for at his command they were created,
  and he established them for ever and ever— Psalm 148: 5-6

The pandemic created chaos like we’ve never experienced. We can find comfort
knowing that in the beginning God created order out of chaos and that God
remains in control of his creation. Praise the Lord

As surely as we know the sun will rise in the morning and the moon will light the
night sky, we can be certain that God is with us through these uncertain times.
Praise the Lord

We quickly learned that through technology we can minister to our local church
family and at the same time spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to persons around
the world. Praise the Lord

Praising God shifts our focus from what’s wrong in our lives to a God who loves
us deeply. He loves us through the valleys, on the mountaintops, through good times,
through pandemics and under old oak trees. Praise the Lord

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,

Praise Him all creatures here below,
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host,
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen

Heavenly Father, help us to praise you through the storms of life. Amen