Praising God at all times in all ways

We have had a string of perfect September days, if not yet officially autumn then at least sentimentally and metaphysically autumn.

There was a long queue at the post office, and, of course, no one was speaking to anyone (this is the Northeast), so the woman at the head of the line could be clearly heard when she stepped up to the counter and said to the clerk, "I'm just thankin' the Lord for this fine day!" Her joy and her boldness were natural and not forced.

The Scriptures are full of enjoinders to praise the Lord at all times. We have whittled that down and down until it has been confined to responsive readings between 10 and noon on Sunday mornings. We have found all kinds of excuses: not the right time, not the right place, not appropriate, waiting for the perfect moment. …

I phoned the mother of an inmate yesterday to get her son's address, as he has been transferred to another prison. She answered the phone, "Praise the Lord!" which caught me off guard and made me ask if this was the right number for Miss Judy. I should have known it was. Miss Judy is the one who once told me she went around her house placing her hands on the walls of every room and asking the Spirit to be present in each one.

And then there are the random encounters with strangers who repay my mealy-mouthed "Have a nice day" with "Have a blessed day," and thus tip all men off without embarrassment that they belong to God.

Sometimes I think a lot of us spend all our time preparing to live the Christian life while others less bookishly inclined simply live the Christian life. For what is true Christian living but giving praise to God at all times and in all ways?

"For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet" (Isaiah 62:1).