It is natural and right in all cultures that for every good deed and gift we received, honour and praise is due the giver usually in the form of thanks and appreciation. Paul wrote in Colossians 3: 15, be thankful. He also said in 1 Thessalonians 5: 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. We must do so because it is God’s will for us, the entire purpose of which we may not know. What we may term evil may after all turn out to be good in the future.
Praising God is acknowledging him for receiving his undeserved favour. We receive by grace and every circumstance we face is by God’s design. God said in Isaiah 43: 20-21, the wild animals will honour me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise. The essence of praise to God is to honour him unconditionally.
God wants us to praise him holistically by the ways he has approved in the bible. We are not allowed to pick and choose or set preconditions or any conditions for God. How does God want us to praise him? The biblical ways to praise God include as follows:
Praising God with our lips
We honour God when we confess his goodness in truth. God accepts honour and praise from only his own and not from children of evil. Joshua said to Achan in Joshua 7: 19, my son, give glory to the LORD God of Israel and make confession to him. Tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me. Achan had taken booty he was not supposed to take and hidden it yet ascribed it as a blessing. A number of us are guilty of this sin.
Paul said in Philippians 2: 11, every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father. So, God is honoured in our confession because it is an acknowledgment of God’s divine truth about the supremacy of God and how we stand before him. Paul said also in Hebrews 13: 15, through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Praise to God without confession is an empty praise of no divine value.
Recognizing God in our hearts
Our hearts are the seat of Christ Jesus in us and we must acknowledge God where he dwells. Paul said in Romans 10: 9 if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Some of the honour we render does not originate from our hearts but only lip service. The lip should rather confess the thoughts of the heart. Jesus said in Matthew 12: 34; Luke 6: 45 for out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.
Jesus said in Matthew 15: 8; Mark 7: 6, these people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines. True appreciation to God comes from the heart and anything short of this is deception and empty. Human deceit is lip service but God looks from man’s heart. Hosea 7: 14 says they do not cry to me from their heart, but they wail upon their beds; they gnash themselves for grain and wine; they rebel against me. What is in our hearts?
Praising God by our deeds
Our actions or deeds when properly read must show the honesty of our true appreciation. Lip statements may sometimes deviate from our actions. 1Corinthians 6: 20 says for you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body. Jesus’ price he paid for our redemption is priceless and our hour and praise must be evident in our bodies and way of life. Sometimes, our deeds betray our praise to God.
According to Paul in 2 Corinthians 9: 13, some of our deeds to glorify God may be expressed in obedience to confession of the gospel of Christ and generosity in sharing with others (paraphrased). This is what the people of Corinth did. We must praise God by showing kindness to those who are in need and by doing God’s will in sharing his word of life with those who may be perishing. Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5: 15, see that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all.
Depending absolutely on God
Relying on God is a form of praise and it glorifies God. God does not share his honour, praise or glory with any other. In Exodus 20: 5; 34: 14; Deuteronomy 4: 24 he is a jealous God. God does not encourage spiritual promiscuity. Psalms 4: 5 says offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. Only God is able to supply all our needs better than we know. Philippians 4: 6 says, do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Praise includes committing our way to him. Psalms 37: 5 says commit your way to the LORD, trust him, and he will act. Failing to commit to God is empty praise. Proverbs 3: 5-6 says trust in the LORD always with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your path. God is not honoured through rivalry but our absolute dependence on him.
Being content with God in Christ
Any praise which is devoid of contentment with God is not genuine but ingratitude. In every circumstance, God gives us what will not destroy us but build us up. Even after we have been blessed, many of us still feel dissatisfied. King Jehoash of Israel said to King Amaziah in 2 Kings 14: 10, you have defeated Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Be content with your glory, and stay at home; for why should you provoke trouble so that you fall, you and Judah with you? When we are discontent with the glory which God has given us, we will fall in disgrace and defeat.
Paul referred to his personal experience and said in 2 Corinthians 12: 10, therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. Paul said again in Philippians 4: 11, I have learned to be content with whatever I have. Insatiable desires defeat the purpose of praise and dishonours God. We must always be satisfied that God who knows best has given us the best we need. Paul also said in Hebrews 13: 5, be content with what you have. How do we praise God for his wondrous works in our lives?
Prayer
Glorious Christ Jesus, we confess our sins for failing to praise you as we ought to. We accept that praises with our lips are just not enough but with our lives and substance. Please help us to praise you holistically knowing that you have given us the best in every circumstance for your honour and glory. Quicken our hearts to know that it is proper to praise you. Sanctify and accept our praise in your holy name, Amen!!
