Do You Owe God a Praise?

           Have you ever heard a word or a song or saw something or even smelled something that took you back to another time? More specifically, has it taken you back where you remembered you owed God a praise? You may have already praised Him when whatever it is that triggered your flashback happened, but it was so obviously His grace and mercy that you feel you need to give Him another “HALLELUJAH” shout?

        That happened to me today. I was driving to my home from my parents’ home and listening to Bishop Reginald Davis of Refuge Temple Church of Burlington NC and he gave a testimony that took me back to somewhere between 1992 and 1995 in Warner Robins, Georgia.

        Before I go back, let me share today’s events. I was driving down the highway with my parents going to the celebration of life service for my great-aunt. I’m in the slow lane doing just a touch over the posted speed limit, but I’m passing a car in the fast lane. After clearing him, I put my signal on to move to the left to now pass a slow-moving truck when the previously passed car decides, “Oh, maybe I should speed up.” This puts me in a predicament. Long story made short, I floored it and moved to the left to pass then got back where I belonged in the right lane. As I moved back to the right, I looked at my dad as realized, maybe that wasn’t the smartest thing to do. But praise God, we made it safely and without further incident.

        Now back to my drive home and the sermon by Bishop Davis. In his message, he shares a testimony in which he is driving on the highway and a car moves into his lane. Apparently, it should have hit him head-on – but God. God told him that He’d placed an angel between his car and the on-coming car and saved him. That’s when it happened. I went back to Georgia.

        I had been driving from our apartment to the military base or somewhere in that direction. It was raining and I was impatient with the heavy flow of traffic. I saw an opening between oncoming cars and floored it. (Yes there’s a theme here. I’m a safe driver but can get impatient. Y’all pray for me.) Normally, this would be no big deal, but as I stated before, it was raining. What I didn’t state before is that I floored it to make a left turn. As I got fully into that turn, it dawned on me that that was not the smartest thing to do. I could feel my car tipping over. I was about to be on two wheels. I felt it and was bracing for a roll-over. But God. (Even now there’s a praise building up.)

        As I braced myself for the roll I was certain was coming, I felt a heaviness on the right side of my car. Just as my face should have hit the window and the asphalt, the tires of the passenger side of my Corolla dropped hard to meet the road! I know, I KNOW, God sent His angel that day to spare my life and to keep me from harm. There is no explanation but God as to why I did not flip my car that day. Only God.

        And as I drove home today, I heard Bishop Davis’s sermon about the presence of God and his testimony, and I remembered how God kept me today, then I flashed back to Georgia and the Holy Spirit got to moving in my van so much that He had to take me on home as I allowed the tears and the praises to flow.

        He’s a keeper y’all. If you let Him, He’ll keep you. I was running from God during that period in my life, but He wasn’t running from me. I wanted nothing to do with Him for all the hurts I believed He’d allowed in my life. I still listened to my gospel music and even went to church every now and then, but I drank gin like water and would curse you before I’d say hello. Still, God had a plan for me. He’s still got one for me and He is yet keeping me. Hallelujah!

        I shared this because someone owes God a praise. If you made it through 2020 you owe God a praise. If you woke up this morning you owe God a praise. If you’ve been living like your life belongs to you, you owe God a praise. I dare you to praise Him. I double-dog dare you. Praise Him until you can’t praise Him no more! Come on and magnify the Lord with me! Hallelujah!