PRAISE HIM – BECAUSE WE ARE ALIVE THIS MORNING!

According to most reliable reports, about 1.8 people die every second, on the earth. This amounts to approximately 106 to 107 deaths per minute; roughly 6,000 to 7,000 people every single hour; that is about 150,000 to 175,000 each day, in the world. Let it sink in my friend, to grasp the seriousness and the certainty of human death. Despite these figures, one of the most taken-for-granted thing in our lives is that, we assume as a certainty, to be alive tomorrow, and accordingly plan for tomorrow. There is no guarantee dear brothers and sisters, that we would see the light of another day, but for the grace of God, which extends our lives day upon day.

The futility of human life is properly grasped by the Bible. The Word of God tells us clearly that, even if we live a thousand years, still man’s life is but a bubble, and its welfare and well-being is not in our hands, but purely on the goodness and grace of God, extended to us, unmeritedly.
– “13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” – James 4:13-14 
– “6…“All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” – Isaiah 40:6-8

We ought to grasp the true worth of man, even before we can truly grasp the goodness and the grace of God. When we do so, we will truly see things as the ought to be seen. This helps in staying focused and steady in life.
– “3 LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? 4 Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow.” – Psalm 144:3-4
– “9 For we were born yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days on earth are a shadow.” – Job 8:9

The Bible, which talks so insightfully about the futility of man and his finiteness, also speaks about the goodness of God, and His love, grace and mercy. Therefore we have hope, and therefore, we should praise Him and thank Him, that we are kept alive by our LORD, morning after morning.
– “6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!” – Psalm 150:6
– “​1 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: 2 To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,” – Psalm 92:1-2
– “16 But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning…17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.” – Psalm 59:16-17
– “​1 I will extol You, my God, O King; And I will bless Your name forever and ever. 2 Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable.” – Psalm 145:1-3

I am reminded of a beautiful Sunday School song that I learnt as a child. It is an apt reminder to all of us, as to what we should be doing, morning after morning. We should be praising and thanking God for His goodness and grace for keeping us alive, to see another day. We should be praising not just in the mornings, but also at noon, in the evening, and at night too. 
– “Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him in the morning, Praise Him in the noontime. Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him when the sun goes down!”

Let us “PRAISE HIM – BECAUSE WE ARE ALIVE THIS MORNING!” Let us never forget that it is because of the grace of God. May we always be grateful and thankful to our LORD. Even so, the LORD help us.