Like many others, my recent holiday plans have been cancelled.  We were so looking forward to heading away and exploring somewhere new and different.  I don’t know about you but I love the whole process of planning a trip, from choosing and deciding on where to go, right up to the shopping for all the essentials (at least three pairs of new shoes are essential, right?), packing and preparing.  I enjoy the hustle and bustle of airports, the chatter and excited voices as people prepare for their trip and the people watching, who can forget the people watching!

As little as a few months ago it would have been hard to imagine anything that would prevent us from travelling.  We are so used to being able to just book a flight and hop on a plane and before you know it; we are immersed in a different city and country.

But, wherever we have travelled to in the past and wherever we will visit in the future, people are the same.  We have the same hopes and dreams for ourselves and our families.  Whoever and wherever in the world we are, we all need to know God’s love and mercy,  His forgiveness and promises.

Psalm 117 is the shortest psalm, only one chapter and two verses but it is packed full of hope.

‘Praise the Lord, all nations!

Glorify Him, all peoples!

For His faithful love to us is great;

The Lord’s faithfulness endures forever.

Hallelujah!”

In verse 1, the psalmist tells everyone, in fact the psalmist gives a global command, to all nations to praise the Lord, all people to glorify Him.  Not just Christians and people who already know and love God, not just those who have yet to receive Jesus as their Saviour but all nations and all people.

Think about that for a second.  There are approximately 7.8 billion people in the world today and this command is for each and every one of us.  That’s a pretty big command, that no matter who or where we are, we are to praise and glorify God.  But, I think it is also a reminder that all nations and all people need to be saved; that God’s love and His free gift of salvation is available for us all; and that we all need to repent, ask for forgiveness, invite Him to come and live within us by His Spirit and accept Jesus Christ to be our Lord and Saviour.

The psalmist goes on in verse 2 to give two reasons why we should praise and glorify God.  Twice we are reminded that God is faithful and of His faithfulness.  God’s faithful love to us is great; it’s not just a little bit of faithful love but is great!  We don’t deserve such faithful love, we mess up, we let God down when we do or say the wrong thing, when we rely on ourselves instead of trusting and relying on God and when we just get it so wrong!! But God is there; to welcome us back into His arms and continue to faithfully love us.

God’s faithfulness endures forever.  Forever, never ending, always there, never running out.

So, at this time when our travel plans may be cancelled or postponed; I pray we will join as all nations and all people across the world to praise and worship God; to thank Him and remember His goodness and faithfulness to us all.

Hallelujah!