June 19, 2019 

“I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.” – Psalm 3:5

Last week we held our annual Vacation Bible School. Without fail, the VBS program contains some of the catchiest songs I listen to all year. For weeks after Vacation Bible School, I am still singing those songs throughout the day. It gets so bad that there are many nights that I am humming them in my head as I go to bed and then singing them first thing in the morning as I get up. This usually results in me saying; “Geez! I can’t get this song out of my head!” However, this morning I realized that I am actually blind to a blessing. One of my favorite VBS songs from this year says, in its chorus, “He came down to earth to put all others first, to do the will of his Father. He knew from the start and followed God’s heart. He knew why he came for us.” What has actually taken place is that I have naturally begun to lie down and get up each day singing the praises of Jesus Christ!
When I realized this truth, I decided that this practice should not be accidental in my life; it should be intentional. So I am encouraging us today to make this our practice throughout the year. I would like to offer some ways that we can do this: With all of our mobile devices today, it is very easy to simply play one of your favorite songs of praise as you get ready for bed, and start it again first thing in the morning. You could also simply write out a verse and set it by your bed; it can be the last thing you read when you lie down and the first thing you read when you wake up. A few suggestions – Psalm 19, Zephaniah 3:17, Ephesians 1:3-10, or Revelation 7:9-12. Make a commitment with me today to be intentional; let the very last thought of the night and the very first thought of the morning be praise to God. I believe that when we do this, we will be much more likely to have our minds set on him the rest of the day.
Mighty God, You are deserving of all praise. Forgive us for the times when our minds are filled with everything but You. Give us the wisdom and the strength to intentionally put You first in our thinking. Let Your praises be on our lips every moment of every day.

In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Shane Cannon