Garlands of Hosannas...

So...  Did you know that I direct an amazing choir of folks up at church that love to sing... I mean they really love to sing!!!  Each and every person who subjects themselves to being in this choir is a true saint.  And they are versatile.  We sing all kinds of music from contemporary to blues to country to traditional.  Each week is different and each week is an adventure.

My job is to think up creative, worship-filled songs for them to sing and then execute them (the songs, that is...) What a great job!  I love my job!

And then there's the band...  Words cannot express how incredibly talented these folks are.  Nothing is impossible with them...  They make a killer combo of piano, bass, trap set and trumpet that steps in almost every Sunday to play their brains out...

When we pull together 36 singers and the band to sing big stuff like cantatas, I'm absolutely amazed at what they can do and how well they do it... and what stellar attitudes they shine as they 'throw garlands of hosannas' on our mighty God.

Yup!  'Garlands of hosannas' - I found that phrase in the Bible.

This new scripture has been running through my head (it seems that only one verse can fit in my brain at a time...) It's located at Psalm 32:7:  "You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance."  I like this NIV version, but frankly, songs of deliverance sounds like music from a 70's movie...

I REALLY like the Message version of Ps 32:7:

"God's my island hideaway, keeps danger far from the shore, throws garlands of hosannas around my neck."

The first part of the verse is crazy wonderful, especially today as the ice is falling from the sky here in Iowa and threatening our lines of electricity and thus endangering my creature comforts...

But my imagination jumps all over the part that says God throws garlands of hosannas around our necks!

What an amazing God we have!


I know this is simplistic reasoning but have you ever had a garland thrown around your neck?

 I'm sure it would make me feel special...
                                               
 I'd feel favored...
                                     
 I'd feel some strutting coming on...
                                               
  I'd feel beautiful...
                                                 
  I'd smell good...

Well, that's the kind of God we have!  One that truly feels favor and kindness and compassion and goodness and love toward each one of us.  He reaches out and woos us to Himself.  He wants each of us to be in close relationship with Him and to experience Him.  He blesses our socks off and 'throws garlands of hosannas around our necks.'

My response?

       I desire to 'throw garlands of hosannas' around His neck...
                                every... single... day... 

How?

Good question...

I praise Him...

I love Him...

I thank Him...

I accept His love for me...

 I seek and find Him every day...