As negative,
worrisome news pummels our ears, the last thing we might feel like doing is
praise! But that’s the very reason the Bible encourages us to “offer to God a sacrifice of praise.”
“Through Jesus,
therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit
of lips that openly profess his name,” Hebrews 13:15, New International Version (NIV.)
Some time ago, I
asked, “Is there something You want me to do, Lord?” and, immediately, the word
“Praise” came to mind. Having been raised in a polite Christian family, the
inclination to thank God and people
came easily enough, but praise? Frankly, I wasn’t sure I knew what praising God
truly meant – or at least how it
differed from thanksgiving.
After looking up
several dictionary definitions, I saw praise as expressing approval more than the appreciation
shown in giving thanks. Praise
commends, lauds, and says good things – not with gratitude in mind so
much as acknowledgement, commendation, and re-commendation. Or, to say it
another way, praise focuses on Who
God Is, more than what God does.
Praise pours out our love to the Lord.
The Psalms provide
wonderful examples of ways to praise, pray, thank God – and lament. A closer
than usual study of those priceless poems shows that almost all of the
lamentations begin with a concern or complaint but end with purposeful thanks
or praise. That uplift at the end exemplifies a strong faith in God, despite
the circumstances, and also shows how a poured-out-heart must remain completely
honest and wholly vulnerable.
Ready to praise but
not particularly practiced, I immediately sensed God’s help as relevant
thoughts and phrases caught my attention each morning. Once I had typed those
beginning lines in a computer file, other thoughts and lines swiftly followed –
somewhat like a stream-of-consciousness flow, but more “subconscious” or even
“unconscious” of what might come next.
Spontaneity remained
key–often with a phrase that startled me or an insight God gave in thoughts I’d
never had before the poem gained my attention. So my “method” became an intent
to obey, rather than create, as I wrote down each spontaneous thought or phrase
with the anticipation that the rest of the words would freely follow. Usually they did, sometimes even exploding onto the page. Other times they
seemed more reflective, depending, perhaps, on my mood or something God wanted
me to consider as I wrote to discover what the lines had to say. For instance:
Praise
God our Praise
without Whom
there is none:
no cause for joy,
no source of love,
no hope of peace.
Praise God Who Dwells
in us and around us –
enthroned on our praises
– uplifting our days.
Maybe you’ll prefer to
call such poems“ meditations.” Maybe you’ll see them as prayers. Or maybe, as
you offer up your praises to God, you’ll be stunned by the unexpected thoughts
and ragged edges that come to mind. Write them down – especially if you don’t
feel like it!
Praise
God, the Rock
under Whom I crawl
when I feel low,
the Rock I climb
to get a higher view.
May the Lord bless you
and your life of purposeful praise, whether joyful or sacrificial.
Mary Harwell Sayler
Note: The above poems and text came from the introduction to my book PRAISE! published by Cladach Publishing.
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