Just Because I Love You

“But You are holy, O You Who dwell in [the holy place where] the praises of Israel [are offered].”
Nehemiah 9:5 (Amplified Bible)

There is nothing like an unexpected word of praise from someone I love to bring the sunshine into my gloomy soul. Last week proved to be a very stressful one for me (you might have noticed my silence). Although I am married to an eternal optimist, my first inclination is to say that the glass is half-empty. I was feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders as I pulled the car into the garage. My daughter and I had just returned from the grocery store.

I was mulling over all I had yet to do before I could call it a day when I heard my daughter’s voice through my jumbled thoughts.

“Mommy, thank you for all you do for me. I love you,” she said with a smile before she headed inside the house.

What a difference two short sentences made to lift the weight I had been carrying! When my children were toddlers and preschoolers, I constantly reminded them to say thank you, please, and I’m sorry to others. I longed for the day when I did not have to pry those words out of them. I still have to remind them to say those words, but, every once in a while, a beautiful glimpse of what I have been trying to instill in them is being revealed unsolicited by me. Those moments are worth a million dollars because they come from such a pure place in my children’s hearts.

Girlfriends, what would happen today if we just said, Thank You, I praise You, and I’m sorry to our Jesus? Have we ever thought how thrilling it must be to Him to catch a glimpse of pure praise from our lips? Don’t we know that He basks in those moments as any parent would? Have we grown up enough to praise Him because we just love Him so much? Have we ever told Him how we can’t imagine life without Him and how glad we are we never have to know that pain again?

You know what that sweetness from my Jordyn produced in me? I was at her beck and call! It produced in me the desire to do what she asked of me–gladly. My sweet sisters, our heavenly Father knows everything we need. Although He wants to hear our requests, He lives inside our praise of Him. He bends His ear to hear those lips that glorify His name, that tell Him that He is trustworthy even when life is hard, and commit to faithfully serving Him even in brokenness. What would happen to our level of joy if we just used today to praise our Jesus because He is worthy?

Jesus, I go far too long between the times these lips are used in lavish praise of You. Too often I approach You with all my requests and not enough words to tell You how much I love You. Forgive me, Jesus. Let me delight You today with words that I long to hear my own children say unsolicited by me: Thank You for all You do for me! I love You!