Day, March 2—All Creatures of Our God and King

All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
(“All Creatures of Our God and King” by Francis of Assisi and William H. Draper)

“Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?” (Matthew 6:26–30 NLT)

Some faith traditions within the Christian church follow a practice of abstaining from saying alleluia during the Lenten season. In this way, they mark the season of Lent as unique from the rest of the year. Often this makes Easter morning that much more special as the dam that is holding back their tongues is opened and the alleluias are allowed once more to ring out. Some believers even go so far as to place a representation of the word in a box or bury it in a garden until Easter morning, signifying this absence is a more tangible way.

Whether you practice this tradition or not, the season of Lent—in keeping with the rest of the year—is still a time to worship our God and King, and there is certainly much to celebrate. In the same way that you can trust God to care for the wildflowers that bloom and grow without anyone tending to them—many never even being noticed or seen by any person at all—you can trust that God cares for you substantially more. And just as the wildflowers are able to proclaim God’s majesty to the world around them without the use of any kind of voice, those who choose to abstain from saying alleluia during Lent do not need that word or any others to declare the goodness of God and His faithfulness toward all of creation. Without using your voice—but utilizing your talents, your resources, or your attention toward others—magnify your heavenly Father’s glory today, proclaiming His goodness and His faithfulness to all who have eyes to see.

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