Creation is alive with beauty and praise. Let all things praise God. Praise is the recognition of the holiness and beauty of life, and the abundant creativity of God. In God, we live and have our being. Praise affirms are connectedness with the Life Giver and the Life All Around Us.
Praise orients us toward the divine. It reminds us that we are not self-contained or self-made but depend on the bountiful abundance of the universe for every breath we take. Praise emerges when we realize that God is the center of the universe that brings life to every other center.
Praise and gratitude go together. And, together they issue in generosity. Nurtured by the energy of the universe, we have more resources than we can imagine, and we find joy in letting the abundance of the universe flow through us to others.
Today, experiment with a life of praise and gratitude. Be attentive to the wonders of life that nurture you. Make it a practice to give thanks for things large and small throughout the day.
You can nurture your sense of praise by repeating the following affirmations:
Every breath is a prayer.
Every breath is a praise.
I thank God for the wonder of my life.
I thank God for the wonder of all life.
Throughout the day, take time to thank God for the beauties of life. Speak, sing, or chant your praise.
Bruce Epperly is a theologian, spiritual guide, healing companion, retreat leader and lecturer, and author of nineteen books, including Holy Adventure: 41 Days of Audacious Living; God’s Touch: Faith, Wholeness, and the Healing Miracles of Jesus; and Tending to the Holy: The Practice of the Presence of God in Ministry. He has taught at Georgetown University, Wesley Theological Seminary, Claremont School of Theology, and Lancaster Theological Seminary. He is currently theologian in residence at St. Peter’s United Church of Christ in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He can be reached at [email protected]
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