Matthew Henry’s commentary of this verse explains that these garments of praise are the beautiful garments worn on thanksgiving days. Several years on now I can thank God for the above trial as I enter another and then another.
Devotional
The low places in life can be the high places of spiritual experience (Jill Briscoe). God meets us in our difficulties. There is a book called 1000 gifts where Ann Voskamp starts to collect a list of things she’s thankful for and things she views as gifts from God.
When I go to church on Sunday, I hate being late. Not because I like being on time but because I hate to miss the worship. To sing together in Holy expectancy is something reserved for Sunday mornings but also to sing on one’s own is an act of worship and praise to God.
Here’s an example of another storm. This time Jesus was nowhere to be seen. Well, not at first anyway. Then he was walking on water and asked Peter to have the faith to walk to him. I often wonder when Peter started to sink, Jesus rescued him but how did they both get back to the boat?
What Jesus didn’t say here was “Let’s go to the middle of the lake and drown.” There was a storm coming and he told the disciples the destination – the other side of the lake. So when the storm came Jesus was asleep. Sometimes I would wonder, during my storm, if Jesus was sleeping. Why was the storm still raging around me?
If you’ve been a believer for any length of time or if you grew up in church you’ve probably memorised the armour. The piece of armour that I struggled with the most was the Helmet of Salvation. In reading this scripture one day I realised that often I wasn’t wearing this helmet and my head was being pummelled as a consequence.