“Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!” (Psalm 99:3 ESV)
As a long-distance runner in college, there were a couple of times I ran to a different town, which was about ten miles away. The excitement was there to run to the next town; however, fatigue set in so I needed a ride back from a friend.
In our daily work as librarians, we are zealous about serving and helping our patrons. Then, as the semester accelerates or summer programs pick up, fatigue starts to set in and we feel the need for a friend to come pick us up to worship the Lord together. It seems in the last year and half, extra fatigue has overwhelmed us and has taken the lead in our race of life. As we worship the Lord daily, we need to rely on His strength rather than our strength.
As an extreme introvert, it can be easy for me to retreat in times of fatigue. However, during these times, I need brothers and sisters in Christ to remind me to focus on worshipping the Lord. I need to remain zealous for the Lord by praising the Lord daily.
The Psalmist draws our attention toward focusing on praising the Lord and making us aware He is Holy. The Lord is set apart from humanity. He wants a continuous relationship with us. He is pure in character. His love lasts forever. The Lord deserves our praise; He is great and awesome. As we approach the upcoming holidays, let us be the ambassadors uplifting His name and worshiping the Holy Triune God. When you are frustrated with a certain patron, a particular administrator, a troublesome course, or a cataloging quandary, may you continue to worship the Lord remembering His Holiness. Just as my friend brought me relief by providing a ride back to town, I invite you to turn in worship to the Lord. He will bring you relief.
I encourage you to praise the Lord daily and hold on to the truth He is Holy. Remember, He is king of our lives deserving our praise in the midst of our circumstances. The Psalmist exhorts us to live a life of praise to the Lord. Praying the Psalms daily helps us focus on who God is and trust in Him. I entreat you to join me in praying the Psalms during times of fatigue in order to keep focused on the Lord.
My prayer for us is that we will praise the Lord daily in our work, knowing He is pure and great. Though we grow weary, we can continue to praise Him as Christian librarians and in our personal lives. I pray we will yield to the Holy Spirit each day in order to be zealous for the Lord.
Craig Rosenbeck
Craig is a Systems Librarian at Roberts Wesleyan College and Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, NY. He has been an ACL member since 2014.