“At
the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem”, the keynote of the service
was joyful thanksgiving. They gathered together “to celebrate joyfully
the dedication with songs of thanksgiving” (Nehemiah 12:27). “On that
day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them
great joy” (Nehemiah 12:43). They sang “songs of praise and
thanksgiving to God” (Nehemiah 12:46). This joyful thanksgiving is only
a foretaste of the greater joy and thanksgiving of heaven: “There will
be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of
things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). In the city of God, “the
glory of God” will be shining with everlasting brightness (Revelation
21:23). The Church of God will be “prepared as a bride beautifully
dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). The beautiful picture of
the godly wife in Proverbs 31 gives us an outline of what God is
seeking to do in His people. It is summarized in Proverbs 31:30: “A
woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” This is what God wants to
make His Bride, the Church – a people who fear the Lord and bring
praise to Him.
Psalm 48:1-14 Lord, we worship You in the place of worship – “Within Your Temple, we meditate on Your unfailing love.” Help us to go out from there, and play our part in seeing that Your praise “reaches to the ends of the earth” (Psalm 48:: 9-11). How will other people know of Your love, if we don’t tell them? How will they find their way to Your House, if we don’t invite them? When we share Your Word with others, help us to remember Your promise: “My Word… will not return to Me empty, but will… achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).
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