The Practice of Praise

I love celebrating other people kids when they are acting up…I laugh and enjoy watching them act up…mainly becuase they are not mine…however I know that even though I may be enjoying their antics the parents are not…

However let me say this…enjoy the antics, the misbehaviour today will be the laughs of tomorrow. There is joy even in the midst of embarrassment.

During this season of Lent, we often focus on somber topics like confessing our sins, repenting, and fasting.

And while these practices are essential to our spiritual growth, it's important that we do not forget the greatness and goodness of God in the midst of the sadness of lent.

So this week even though it may seem wildly out of place considering all that we have been talking about we are going to focus on practice of Praise.

On our best days this practice does not come easily…I don’t know about you but there are times where this practice comes very hard for me…with all the turmoil, injustice, and pain in our world….to praise seems like ignoring the real need around us.

However praise is essential to our spiritual, and emotional well being.

There is turmoil and pain in the world…there will always be injustice but we must not ignore the healing that is available and the beauty God places in our lives all around us.

If we do not practice praise in the midst of all of the somber places in life we will become bitter, judgmental and dare I say adversarial…instead of thankful, welcoming and united.

The practice of praise in the midst of all the sadness and chaos around us is the key to a confident and stable Christian life.

So Today, let’s draw our attention to Psalm 145, which serves as a beautiful reminder of God's faithfulness even in the midst of our confessions, laments, and repentance.

New Living Translation (Psalm 145)

Psalm 145

1 I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever.

2 I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever.

3 Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.

4 Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power.

5 I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles.

6 Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness.

7 Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness.

8 The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

9 The LORD is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation.

10 All of your works will thank you, LORD, and your faithful followers will praise you.

11 They will speak of the glory of your kingdom; they will give examples of your power.

12 They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign.

13 For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. The LORD always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does.

14 The LORD helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads.

15 The eyes of all look to you in hope; you give them their food as they need it.

16 When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.

17 The LORD is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness.

18 The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.

19 He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them.

20 The LORD protects all those who love him, but he destroys the wicked.

21 I will praise the LORD, and may everyone on earth bless his holy name forever and ever.

The overall theme of this Psalm is all about praising, worshiping, and glorifying God. And as we read through the psalm, we see how the previous generations testified to God's faithfulness.

They recalled the mighty acts of God in the past, and that reminds us of God's faithfulness to God's people.

The upcoming celebration of Easter is a wonderful example of our celebrating God’s faithfulness to the world as well…

Our mourning should not overshadow our celebration of all of God’s greatness and goodness to us.

The psalmist tells us that God is trustworthy, faithful, cares for the downtrodden and hungry, righteous, and close to those who love and fear God.

God cares particularly for the oppressed and needy, and the prophets and Jesus demonstrates God's care for the poor.

When we are able to keep these ideas in our hearts and minds it gives us a confidence that cannot be shaken by chaos or schemes of those that would mean harm to our souls.

During Lent, we can confess, repent, and fast because God hears us, draws near, watches over those who love God, and is faithful.

Our confession, repentance and fasting are not in vain…they are a prelude to a promised joy…they are to be practiced.

So, what can we do to give praise to God while joining in the suffering of Jesus?

One practical way is to cultivate an attitude of gratitude and praise in the midst of difficulties.

We can intentionally focus on God's goodness, mercy, and faithfulness, even when we are going through challenging times.

This is a struggle for me…it seems like we are programmed to cultivate reasons to be ungrateful or even pessimistic…Maybe it is because we know that happiness comes and goes…but maybe if we look forward to happiness instead of the absnece of it we can be more mindful to God’s beauty.

Additionally, we can offer up our suffering to God as a form of worship.

Not martyrdom…but worship.

We can recognize that Jesus himself suffered for us and that our own suffering can be united with his for the salvation of the world.

We can offer prayers and sacrifices, such as fasting or giving to the poor, as a way of joining in Jesus' suffering and giving praise to God.

Finally, we can seek to imitate Jesus' selfless love and service to others.

We can show God's love to those around us, even in the midst of suffering. We can reach out to those who are hurting or in need, forgive those who have wronged us, and seek to be a source of hope and encouragement to those around us.

Let us remember the greatness and goodness of God as we journey through this season of Lent together by practicing praise!

GIVE OPPROTUNITY TO PRAISE TESTIMONY

Let us praise God for all of the blessings and mercies that we have received, and let us offer up our sacrifices as a way of joining in Jesus' suffering and giving praise to God.

May God bless us all as we seek to grow in our faith and draw closer to our Lord and Savior.

So let us come to the Table with a sense of praise that Lent is almost over and Easter is coming!