Thoughts for another day

August 9, 2006

Today's verse: Ps 68:19. Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. (NIV)

Praise to our God is the most wondrous thing that can escape our lips. And it is beautiful when the heart creates it from deep within and it bursts forth with the might of our lungs. The psalmist says, ‘Make a joyful noise unto the Lord…’ In doing this we please the creator of the universe and bring honor to His holy Name.

The question is, why do this? Is God someone who loves flattery? Is He so small that He would expect praise from men for every little thing that He did? Of course not. When the devil told Christ, I know who you are – the Holy One of God, Jesus told Him to shut up. God doesn’t seek our praise for gratification of Himself. But God expects it because it tells Him how grateful we are for His having created us and for bearing our burdens daily. Besides, praise put us in line for the overflow of His blessings.

God has made us such that in constantly being one with His being, He is able to sustain us fully. When we are in His presence and wrapped in Him, praise automatically wells up within our being. Utterances that exult Him flow out from our depths because our spirit flows with His Spirit in a glorious train of splendour that engulfs the earth and leads from one level of beauty to the other. Behold, heaven is created and angels look down and envy the sight. And God builds His throne therein. At that point in time, bondages break, problems melt away, sicknesses vanish, broken limbs are restored, shattered lives are put back together and made whole and earth is refreshed with the fragrance from Heaven.

Praising God gives evidence of the highest level of belief and that is what allows Him to work out the best for you. Hebrews 11:6 says, ‘anyone who approaches God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.’ Read the words carefully and now think, when you approach Him with praise on your lips, what can happen…!