April 28 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

Let us exhort ourselves to praise God, for it is even better to praise than to pray. And praise will outlast our petitions. When the last petition has been granted, we will still thank and praise our God.

Let's praise the Lord and come with thanksgiving before him. Guided by Psalm 103, we look with surprise at the presence of our God. God has not forsaken us but encircles our lives with his loving-kindness. Praise the Lord, my soul. Do it with the total person: "All my inmost being, praise his holy name."

Forget not "all his benefits" but call them to mind. Our first thought is of God's grace: he "forgives all your sins." God has removed what was between him and us. Our sins are forgiven; life has begun. Praise the Lord, my soul.

Then bless the Lord for life itself. Don't take it for granted. Thank God you are alive. Praise him for health, for renewed strength, for the miracle of returning energy. Health and healing are not nature's laws; they are God's own gifts. Thank God for the gift of a new beginning, fresh vitality for the whole person, day after day. The eagle's pinions have grown again. The everlasting arms have carried us. Praise the Lord, my soul.

We realize our complete dependence on God. We admit that we are entitled to nothing and have received everything. Our "normal" lot consists of sin and sickness and death. But God forgives our sins, heals our diseases, and redeems our lives from the pit. He crowns our lives with steadfast love and mercy. Instead of being left in the misery we deserve, our lives are redeemed, enriched, and renewed. Every day God's faithfulness continues and his mercy is new. Praise the Lord, my soul.

Thanksgiving is better than prayer, although there is a time for both. In prayer I come to God with empty hands, praying to be filled. But in thanksgiving I bring something to God. I may give what I first received.

REFLECTIONS

Let this psalm and this reading inspire your own heartfelt praise to our gracious God.

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published by Paideia Press in 1977. This updated edition is copyright 2009 by Faith Alive Christian Resources. You can order a copy of this revised version of the book directly from the publisher.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this updated edition of Daylight are from the Holy Bible: Today's New International Version copyright 2001, 2005 by the International Bible Society.