Humbled By My Silence...

I went to visit a friend's church this past Sunday. He and his wife led the congregation in singing praises to our Great God, right. At one point he reads a portion of Psalm 105. Then he boldly invited those in the congregation to follow the Psalmist, and "glory in His holy Name"...

...to which the collective silence was almost deafening! He even mentioned several specific people in the congregation, of which I was one, to "glory in His holy Name". Considering who this Infinite and Eternal God is, and all the incredible, jaw-dropping things He has done in all the universe, let alone in the very soul of this poor creature and the lives of my family and countless friends....you would think I/we were jumping at the invitation to delcare His marvelous works?

Sad to say, and I must confess and repent of my contribution to the silent ruckus, that I came up empty...pitifully empty and silent, as virtually most of the congregation, apart from a few thankful souls...

Is this a true indication of the severe weakness of our collective faith (at best) or the entire absence of it (at worst) ?

Ought the people created in the image of this incredible-in-every-way God, and on top of that purchased back to Him via the life, death and resurrection of His own dear Son (Yes, Jesus REALLY rose from the dead! Inconcievable!) ...bring to the table shouts of joy and leaps of praise? No, I am no advocate for superficial, fake, happy-clappy praise, with a phony smile plastered on our Sunday-go-to-meeting faces. But for those whom God has pardoned the countless offenses of His rightful rulership and ownership, placed His infinite wrath on His own Son instead of us, forgiven us our sin - not in part but the whole, placed His very own Spirit in our hearts and freely given us His life, joy and peace for both time and eternity....has brought us to know God and delight in God Himself as the greatest thing there is...doesn't He deserve our higest and most sincerely energetic praise?

Well, sometimes I do, sometimes I don't...but one day, I will. Forever and always this will be the priviledge of His children. I only yearn for more and more of that now!