Consider God

 Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. Yet he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make known his mighty power. He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry, and he led them through the deep as through a desert. So he saved them from the hand of the foe and redeemed them from the power of the enemy. And the waters covered their adversaries; not one of them was left. Then they believed his words; they sang his praise. But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel.

Psalm 106:7-13 (ESV)

Those who do not take time to consider God's masterful work lose the joy of life and live in discord.

Considering God or thinking of Him and His work, faithfulness, love, mercy, grace, and more allows me to have hope in my frailty. What I think about is my choice.

The standard is set!

 Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord, or declare all his praise? Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!

Psalm 106:1-3 (ESV)

"Those who do righteousness at all times!" That is a very exclusive group. Can anybody really do that?

The standard is set relatively high, and since it is set high, we need to aim high. We often make excuses about being unable to be perfect, so we cease trying. People are not perfect, and those who love and walk with God continually work on who they could be, rather than who they are.
We need to make the conscious choice to aim at being righteous all the time to be on the right side of history. God understands us and works with us. He knows our hearts, and my heart needs to desire Him and His ways. The rest of life's details will work out as I do that.

God is always at work.

 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!

Psalm 105:1-6 (ESV)

Healthy people thank God and make His name known to those with whom they come in contact. When was the last time you were awed by the works of God? If you need to think about it, you have not been paying attention.

God is always at work. Whether you see it or not, it does not and will not affect Him. When you do not see the works of God, you miss out on one of the greatest privileges afforded to mankind.
God does not need us, but He wants us to be included.

God is the creator and sustainer of all!

 He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved. You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight. The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them. You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills; they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches. From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart.

Psalm 104:5-15 (ESV)

God is the creator and sustainer of all. It is a gift to those he created and loves. We would be wise to acknowledge this often.

Flowers

 

As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. Psalm 103:15-19 (ESV) Flowers are beautiful, a wonder of God's creation. In almost all plants, the flower has a specific function, and when that function is complete, it fades quickly and falls off to provide nutrients for the plants to come. Flowers are vital to the pollination process. They are colorful, fragrant, and attractive to attract someone or something to come and aid in that process. If seeds are not produced and placed in fertile soil, all the sunlight, nutrients, and carbon dioxide a plant absorbs are wasted. Likewise, my life is compared to a flower. I need to absorb that which will give me the ability to produce fruit and be attractive in many ways to reproduce spiritually. I need to think of ways that those who come behind me can have the best opportunity to absorb what is right so they, too, can reproduce spiritually.

Learn

God Is Not Like Us

 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

Psalm 103:10-14 (ESV)

There is a great distance between the east and the west. God is not like us, and when He forgives something, it is forgiven and forgotten, and it seems to be like it never happened. God is not a tyrannical God waiting for someone to step out of line so that He can zap them back into place. Rather, He is a loving God who knows us well, understands our frailty, and desires to help us, not harm us.

Those who see God as an angry God waiting to pounce on evil do not know God.
 

Don't forget to remember.

 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Psalm 103:1-5 (ESV)

Sometimes, I forget from where all the good in my life comes. I tend to ignore the source when all is well, and blame God when all goes south. Sitting and pondering the many benefits of walking intimately with God is a good thing.

The Scriptures seem to remind us that we often need to be reminded of the most important things in life. We are to pray without ceasing, reminding us that we are always dependent upon God. We are to rejoice in the Lord, always, reminding us that circumstances are a part of life, but they do not control life. Baptism, communion, and the gathering of believers are all important reminders. Don't forget to remember.

Wearing it out is a sign that it was enjoyed.

 Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end. The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before you.

Psalm 102:25-28 (ESV)
God alone does not change. All other created things, which is all other things, will. The earth, as mentioned here, will wear out like a garment.

Those who want to worship the earth rather than care for it are silly. When I was a boy, I remember going into some homes where they had bought nice furniture. They wanted it to be cared for so much that they did not allow anyone to use it, they covered it with sealed plastic, and they put it in a room with curtains to block direct sunlight. I thought purchasing furniture you would not use was useless.

There have been times at camp when we purchased a new van to transport campers from place to place. After many years, the van wore out. I was thankful for the many years and the memories the van gave us, and realized that its being worn out was a sign of its value.
We are to use what God gave us, and it will wear out. Wearing it out is a sign that it was enjoyed.

We Pray

 Hear my prayer, O Lord; let my cry come to you! Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress! Incline your ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call!

Psalm 102:1-2 (ESV)
Those who love God will face physical, social, and mental struggles, and right now, God is very busy. Those in His presence are shouting praises at Him, those around the world who are His are crying out to Him, and many are seeking Him. Undoubtedly, He is the most sought-after, wanted, needed, and desired in the universe.
Yet, we, His children, pray, and He hears us. It seems as if this direct and private access pathway to our Heavenly Father allows us immediate and direct access, regardless of the noise that abounds.
Since I cannot handle two people talking to me about different subjects simultaneously, I cannot imagine what it would be like to have millions doing so, and then understand and respond to each one correctly. This idea helps define "Awesome," which only applies to God.
 

Joyful Noises

 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 100 (ESV)

Sometimes, I think we try to make the joyful noise to the Lord too professional sounding. The joyful noise line precedes the line about singing. We often laugh at the many sounds young boys make while playing. We affectionately call them "boy noises." It does our heart good to see a young boy play with all his heart, including the noises accompanying the play.
It would be sad to have to organize, refine, and adjust those noises and mix them just right to be acceptable to the public. After hearing him at play, a boy may never be asked to sing in an opera, but he will bring a smile to a parent's heart.