Skip to main content

The Empty Plate


In the quiet, I solemnly lift my hands to present an offering of praise... my heart is full and it's my deepest desire to bless you. So, with tears in my eyes and in all sincerity I announce my intentions and simply say "I praise you Lord" and I stop there. In all of your majesty, descending from on high to meet my humbled spirit to receive the offering, you honor me to come. But then...
 as the powerful presence of your spirit fills the room to my hearts joy ... you pause. And with a voice filled with loving tenderness, you speak softly "but my precious child, the plate is empty".

Suddenly, I'm aware of my mistake and quickly move to fill the plate of my offering, to render the feast of your heart's desire and I speak again with deep conviction "Lord God Of All That Is, I praise you with these truths from my heart as I declare that you are the Lord God of all righteousness, the author of all that is truly good. You're greatness is immeasurable. Your mercy and grace to us are undeserved and unending and we are humbled Lord by them. There is none to compare to you Lord, none to even begin to compare to the shadow of your greatness! You stand alone as the omnipotent God of all that is and your love for us is unfathomable. We exalt you forever as our God and King. Power, strength, glory, honor and praise be to your name forever!"

My statement that "I praise you" is a statement of my action - the word praise is a verb, but carrying out my statement fills the plate of my offering with the sweet rendering of my heart and begins to satisfy the all deserving palate of my Lord. So, forgive me Lord, for the times I have failed your righteous appetite and offered you... the empty plate.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Where Truth Is Found...

"He that cannot forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass if he would ever reach heaven; for everyone has need to be forgiven." - George Herbert, British Poet 1593 - 1633 The above is a true statement and one could give credit to George Herbert for his wisdom in that saying, but the truth and wisdom found in those words did not originate with him. They originated with The Author of truth and wisdom - The Judge of the universe... “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matthew 6:14-15 (NKJ) ...Christ Jesus. With deception being a tool of the enemy   and being spread  widely with the help of mankind these days, it's a struggle for some to recognize what the truth really is. It's good for us who follow Christ to remember that whatever we might think or reason with ourselves to be true, our opinion c...
Post a Comment
Read more

Fear not.

There's a lot going on in the world and a lot available to provoke fear for the future, but I have a question for anyone who might feel themselves tempted to fear - If you truly know God, does He ever change? “I am the LORD, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed." Malachi 3:6 (NLT) We stand reinforced in our understanding and belief that He does not change, so... "The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me.  I will protect those who trust in my name.  When they call on me, I will answer;  I will be with them in trouble.  I will rescue and honor them.  I will reward them with a long life  and give them my salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16 (NLT) I know that I said that I had "a" question, but I actually have another - do you really, truly love Him? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heave...
Post a Comment
Read more

God Blesses Those...

"And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:... " Matthew 5:1&2 (NKJ) In the 5th chapter of the book of Matthew, we find Jesus teaching His disciples. What He taught them there is often referred to as the Sermon on the mount. And within that teaching are a number statements that are commonly referred to as The Beatitudes. I humbly suggest that whoever it was that coined that term might have been more accurate and to the point if they had called them  The " BE-  Attitudes" since Jesus was in fact telling His disciples both then and now, about the spirit of how to "be". “Blessed are the poor in spirit,  For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn,  For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek,  For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,  For they shall be filled. Blessed a...
Post a Comment
Read more