By Paulette Phiri
20 Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. 21 And Miriam answered them:
“Sing to the Lord,
For He has triumphed gloriously!
The horse and its rider
He has thrown into the sea!”
Exodus 15:20-21
Who doesn’t love a celebration or a party?
Birthdays, weddings and anniversaries, graduations, baptisms, ordinations, testimonies. The difference between ‘worldly joys’ and Christian joy is considering the one at the centre of the celebration. When we look to praise ourselves, this joy can be from a proud and selfish heart. When the Lord is at the centre of our praise, our joy is selfless and uninhibited.
The children of Israel had every right to praise their God. Their arch-enemies had been drowned in the sea and they were exuberant. Taking in the miraculous deliverance and leading the praise was Moses’ older sister Miriam, the prophetess. Miriam is known in scripture as the first woman to be called a prophetess. We read that she took a timbrel in her hand and with all the women following her, she danced and sang praises to Her Creator God (Elohim), Her Lord God (Adonai), Her God (Yahweh).
When God moves in our situation, we praise God. When God provides, we praise God. We not only can and should celebrate our wonderful, loving, Father for His mighty acts, but may we also position ourselves to praise God, jubilantly, just for who He is.
Ask - What prompted the women to follow Miriam in song and praise to the Lord?
Seek - Using the template of Exodus 15 or Psalm 96, sing your own song of praise to Your Heavenly Father.
Knock - Help us Lord to Praise You in the good times as well as in the bad times.
(Inner Photo by Malte Luk from Pexels)
(Main Photo by Kit Suman on Unsplash)
