Thankfulness

In today's devotion we explore the importance of praising God and worshiping Him before prayer.  I am still trying to learn this myself, as I praise when I'm prompted and I pray as I want to talk throughout the day, knowing He is with me and listening; or in response to something the LORD speaks to me.  This year I hope to purposefully and regularly begin praying for others though, and for our nation and the world, really.  Not once in a while and as I feel lead, although I still intend to pray like this - but each and every day specifically and routinely.  Like having an exercise schedule, I would like to pray P90X-style.  But on praise...


If I didn't know God had been active in my life, that He had anything to do with the way my life has gone, or thought He wasn't really responsible for blessings in my life, then why would I want to thank Him? If I did pray thanks, it would feel awkward and I would be faking it or doing it as a gamble - to see what happens. Maybe out of obligation or because it sounds nice and dandy.  Although when we are starting out or have nothing else to say it's better than nothing, and thanking God can certainly lead us into truth and worship, I want to talk about more than this. The deeper side of thanksgiving.  Sort of like the next level down. The difference between the quick "thanks," "bless you," or even "I love you," to those same words spoken to you when you know in your inner most being - they mean it. You can see it in their eyes.

I believe in order to thank God sincerely we first must believe He exists, and He is who He says He is.  Then we must believe in His presence in our life, His mercy and goodness, His love and the fact that He is for us. In this we trust Him and all that happens in our life as His perfect will for us. Even out of the bad things, good will come out.  We must stop judging ourselves and others because this is futile. If we are in Christ, He has already taken the judgment for us and through His sacrifice we are made righteous. Not by works - that's why we should not spend time worrying if we're doing things right or stress over how good of a Christian we are. We are holy and blameless in His sight. This should give us enough reason to praise and be free from condemnation.(a must read "How to Stop the Pain" by James Richards explores judgement like I've never seen it - a life-changer)

Through experiencing God and knowing His love, knowing our role as His beloved child in whom He is well pleased, and actually understanding how much He longs to interact with us ans speak with us, we respond.  We will respond in praise, we will respond in love, we will respond in worship and trust. We wont be able to help it. And it will be real and sincere. And we will know it is. Just like we know when we give a compliment, if we really mean it or not.  You know - "O love your hair" (not... but you still smile and try to go through with it, pointing out why you like it, maybe even talk yourself into thinking it's not that bad).  BE REAL! That's what I want. To be so transparent that people see right through me and what they see is likable. To love others that much and see them from the eyes of heaven.

Anyway - why praise?  Why does God want so much praise?  Why does He insist we give Him glory and worship Him - sounds kind of stuck-up.  Why would He make all of us just so we praise Him - talk about being full of Himself.  But when I look at it logically, it all makes sense.  God does not need us to praise Him - He just knows that's what we need because He created us that way. Why? Because we are made in His image;  we are instruments of praise but it has to be directed towards something or someone or it's not praise at all.  When we try to get glory for ourselves we get consumed with ourselves, we become jealous and greedy and end up like Satan. Bad deal. God knows this so He is constantly trying to get us to get our minds off of us - so then and only then we can experience the true life He is offering. He knows He is the only one good enough (because He's God - hello!) to take the praise and it not go to His head. He knows He is the only one who wont misuse it. So if we turn our praise to Him, want His glory instead of ours - then we are free of temptation that lead Satan away from God, and God is big enough to handle it.  God wants us to be with Him forever and even to be in close relationship here on Earth.  This is why it is important to Him that we are free from temptation to get glory for ourselves, but free to actually be ourselves and achieve our destiny!  He wants the best for us! There is no other way or He would have told us in His Word.  Again, like in everything else I'm finding out - He asked us to praise Him for our benefit. It's all for us, because He loves us.  All of us.

In conclusion, when we begin prayer with praise towards God, we are less likely to be consumed with us as we pray.  We will see our situation in the light of heaven and know He is in control. We wont be doing the me, me, me bit but may actually think and use wisdom to pray in a way it even will surprise us.  It will open doors for us to pray the will of God, hear Him more clearly and receive revelation and blessing. God first.

Use your gifts!