IF WE DON’T, THE ROCKS WILL
JESUS IS WORTHY WHETHER YOU PRAISE HIM OR NOT…WE WERE CREATED TO PRAISE!
Revelation 4:11, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things,and by your will they existed and were created.”
John shares with us his vision of heaven and how the twenty-four elders and the four living beings give praise and honor and glory to Him who sits on the throne. Jesus is worthy of all our praise because we were created for the express purpose of praising and giving Him glory.
Psalm 100:1-5, “Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.”
The Psalmist knows that the attitude we are called to have for God is one of thanksgiving and praise. God made us, and He is good, full of unfailing love and faithfulness.We are His people, created to praise His name.
Deuteronomy 10:20-21, “You must fear the Lord your God and worship him and cling to him. Your oaths must be in his name alone. He alone is your God, the only one who is worthy of your praise, the one who has done these mighty miracles that you have seen with your own eyes.”
Moses reminded Israel before he died and before they went into the promised land, that God alone was worthy of their worship. God rescued them from Egypt and led them to the land of Canaan to bless them because they were His chosen people.
Ephesians 2:8-10, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Paul reminds us that we are God’s masterpiece - each one of us. Designed to do the good things He planned. Apart from Him and salvation through Jesus, we are unable to do these things. It is our responsibility to accept this free gift of salvation so that we can walk in the fullness of all that we were created to do.
DO YOU RECOGNIZE THAT YOU WERE CREATED TO GLORIFY GOD? PRAISE IS SOMETHING WE ARE INSTRUCTED TO DO, NO MATTER OUR CIRCUMSTANCES. WHAT IS ONE WAY YOU CAN PRAISE GOD IN A HARD SEASON YOU ARE IN RIGHT NOW? IF THIS IS DIFFICULT FOR YOU, TAKE A MOMENT TO LOOK BEYOND WHAT IS IN FRONT OF YOU AND FOCUS ON PRAISING FOR THE FACT THAT GOD LOVES YOU SO MUCH HE SENT JESUS. PRAISE FOR THE STORM THAT LIFTS YOUR EYES UPWARD TO THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN RESCUE YOU.
1 Peter 2:9, “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.”
Peter reminds us as he reminded the early church. We are chosen by God. We are His very own possession, created to glorify Him and to show others His goodness. As we put God’s goodness on display by praising even when others might wonder how we can do so, His light shines through us and calls others to leave the darkness of this world behind.
PUTTING THIS INTO PRACTICE
Praise is a choice we make. It is not dependent upon our circumstances. True and rightful praise that God deserves and that the Psalmists write about, is praise that is lifted because God is “I am.”We are His creation, just as the world around us was created by Him. If it was not for God, we would not exist.
What are some things that you can give praise for even when your world might seem to be falling apart around you? Make a list and share your ideas with your small group. Add to your list if needed and keep it close as a reminder.
Read Psalm 148. Who is the Psalmist calling to praise and why?
Which verse or verses resonate with your spirit today? Why? Write that passage out and post it where you can see it as another reminder of how we are called to praise always.
It is through our praise, others will come to know the love of Jesus. If we are gloomy and full of complaints instead of joy-filled and full of praise, we will not encourage others to seek the light of Jesus. Isaiah prophesied of what it would be like when Israel was finally at that place of praising God, when they finally had turned back to Him and recognized how great His love for them was. Israel was called to be God’s light to the nations of the world, let us cling to God so we do not fall into the cycle of sin that resulted in the curses on Israel that had been prophesied.
Read Isaiah 12.
Are you able to sing the praises that are declared in this passage, about all God has done in your life? Why or why not?
Take some time to journal and talk to God about how you praise Him. Listen for what He is speaking to you. What is He saying? Are there some steps you can take to be more intentional about praising Him even when it’s hard, to have an attitude of praise at all times?
In Luke, we read the reply of Jesus to the Pharisees who are unhappy about the praise that Jesus is given during his triumphal entry into Jerusalem - how the rocks would cry out if the people did not. Just as the rocks were witnesses to the glory of the Lord that day, all creation speaks His praise. Let us not allow creation, the created things, praise Jesus louder than us, His created, cherished and chosen children.
Read Psalm 19. How is creation loudly proclaiming heavenly praise?’
Verses 7-14 shift gears a little, relating to the reader how God’s instructions and decrees are meant for our good and given because of His great love for us. Do these verses resonate with your spirit, or do you consider God’s laws burdensome? If it is hard for you to see how the commandments of the Lord can bring joy to your heart, take some time to ask God about that. Write out a prayer asking Him to show you how to find joy in His commands, to work in your heart to bring about the joy the psalmist has found in His instruction.
Spend time this week reflecting on how in just one week there could be such a shift in attitude from overwhelming praise, to a desire to see Jesus crucified by the Israelites. Has there been a time in your life when you have done something similar? Ask for forgiveness if needed.
