2-1-15. Exodus 15:19-21. Don’t Hold Back…Thank And Praise Jesus With All Of Your Heart-my devotional

 Exodus 15:19-21                                                               Kevin E. Jesmer

Key verse 15:20                                                                2-1-15

 “Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing.”

We are called to thank and praise Jesus with our whole hearts. Look at Exodus 15:19-21,” 19 When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. 20 Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. 21 Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.” (NIV)

There is a declaration of the grace of God in this passage. Look at verse 19. The waters of the sea covered Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and soldiers, and the Israelites walked through on dry ground. This is the grace of God’s deliverance. The people responded in thanksgiving and praise. This praise expressed itself in singing and dancing and playing musical instruments, like tambourines. This praise was led by Miriam and the women who sang and danced with tambourines.

Men and women, both, we celebrating the Lord’s victory with all of their hearts. This is in stark difference to the Muslim world where women are restricted in so many ways. I can not imagine women in burkas publically dancing and singing and playing tambourines. But, among the Hebrews, women did have certain freedoms that other societies did not provide. They even called Miriam a prophet. She played and vital function and had some high ranking among the people. This was revolutionary. I thank God for including women in the story of redemption revealed in Exodus.

Jesus’ grace to us is so abundant and overwhelming. Because of the grace of God our cup overflows. But do we give thanks with singing and thanksgiving with the intensity that these people shared? Rarely. We take the grace of God for granted. Think about what life would be like with the grace of Jesus Christ on our life and on our society. We don’t have to look too far to see. Just turn on the television and see what is happening in Iraq and Syria when people do not take hold of the grace of Jesus Christ in the Gospel. People are living in ruins and fear of death. Horrible things are happening. Libraries and being burnt and history is being erased. The entire populations of some people are being traumatized beyond belief. The kids will carry these scars forever. It is indeed a small taste of hell on earth. That would be any society who does not hold onto the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We should be very, very thankful for all that God has done for us in the Gospel. Mostly we should be thankful that all of our sins have been forgiven through faith in Jesus blood. We will indeed pass through the last of our Red Seas, death, and enter into the Kingdom of God. This must make us very thankful. We need to thank and praise Jesus. We need to sing and dance and play all kinds of musical instruments.

They were not afraid of singing and dancing in public. They did not hold back. It reminds me of King David as he presided over bring the ark to Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 6:12-16 reads, “12 Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. 13 When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. 14 Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, 15 while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.16 As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.” (NIV) When people looked down on King David for his unbridled celebration of Jehovah, he did not give into to peer pressure to be more reserved. Look at his response in 2 Samuel 6:21-22, “21 David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. 22 I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.” (NIV) King David did not hold back and nor should we.

But so often we have a “ho hum” attitude towards the grace of God poured out on us. We think that living in the grace of God is basic and a normal part of life. But it is not. We are living in a Fallen World. We have a propensity to sin. We are what we are because of Jesus. We are forgiven and God’s children because of God’s grace.

If our hearts are cold and dull towards the love of God, then we need new hearts. King David cried out for a new heart in Psalm 51:10-15 which reads, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. 14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,    you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. 15 Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.” (NIV)

Prayer: Lord, you delivered us and keep delivering by the power of the Gospel. We thank you for you are God. You are our strength and song. You are my salvation. We thank and praise you with our whole hearts.”

One Word: Celebrate the grace of Jesus with our whole hearts.