”Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy.“–Psalm 99:5 NIV
When I think of how I can exalt the Lord, I immediately think of the obvious synonym for exalt: praise. Since I was young, I have written poetry and song lyrics, many of which focus on praising the Lord. I’ve always felt like it was in my nature and in my blood, so to speak.
Recently, while I was visiting my childhood home, my father showed me a journal that was written by my grandmother’s grandmother. The writing began in the year 1840 when she was 16 years old, and her penmanship is a beautiful art form. Throughout her journal, she writes about how grateful she is to the Lord her God for her salvation and for having mercy on her soul. In several places, she quotes from hymns that she sang in church and poems that she read during her lifetime throughout several decades of the 19th century. She chose to exalt the Lord her God through her writing, and with her actual handwriting being as beautiful and appealing as she could possibly create.
Each of us can find ways to praise God through what we do, whether it’s physical labor, academic work, or artistic creation. My grandmother’s grandmother, Julia, led an impressive life of 81 years; she endured many hardships, including losing two of her children within nine days of each other, and then she lost her first husband three months later. In all, she lost four of her nine children during their childhood, and she outlived both of her husbands. Yet, she continued to praise and glorify God in her words throughout her journal even during those difficult times. She looked forward to joining her loved ones again in the beautiful future promised to those who believe. Her words encourage and inspire me, and I’m proud to embrace the heritage she established of exalting the Lord through her writing—something I endeavor to do as well.