"Joel is . . . well, let's not talk about that."
posted three times, nonetheless.
no hasty promises of recommitment. or attempts at feebles.
down to business.
yesterday i started reading the Psalms backward. just for something different. i read three then and three more just now, and have been slapped in the face with praise. it's all these psalms are about. the word "praise" shows up 47 times (yes, i counted) alone, not to mention a plethora of additional "exalts", "extols", "rejoice", and other such celebratory sorts of words. (by the way...i did a search, and found that the word praise is used 351 times in the Bible.
in my rush to be authentic and honest with God, i sometimes forget simple things like praise. i want to share my frustrations and my dreams. i want to vent from a rough day or maybe just sit in silence. i want to complain about the way the world is and mention what i think it could/should/will be. and i don't think there's anything wrong with any of that. just that it means sometimes i forget that the One i'm talking to is the One that put it all in motion to begin with. and when i'm lamenting, he's probably doing the same, because our hearts are broken by similar things. and when i'm stoked, he's probably excited with/for me. but in all of that, it wouldn't hurt either of us to get in on a little praise action. and so perhaps i should get in the practice of "a praise habit," as i think my friend crowder called it.
and it's been happening a little. little glimpses of "let me take this moment", "let me steal this drive", "let me just say"...that he's worthy. and good. and _____. words fail to describe.
and it lifts me as i lift him.
posted by joeldaniel @ 1:55 PM
2 Comments:
"A praise habit," that's good. I think that something tied very closely to that is an awareness of what God's doing and that my lack of praise has more to do with my lack of recognition of my blessings than anything. Like my good friend Matt Redman said, "Every blessing you pore out / I'll turn back to praise." I guess that view however misses the fact that God's worthy to be praised just for who he is and what he is though. Those are good things too :)
To follow up on Matt's comment, I know that most of the time when I am remembering to thank God for all of the blessings He has granted me, that is where I stop. I don't thank Him for just being or for life. Or any of the things that alone are bigger than I can comprehend. I forget to thank God for being God.
Post a Comment
<< Home