Praise God!

As a pastor’s kid, I grew up singing the “Doxology” every Sunday. In our Methodist liturgy, it was sung while the weekly collection was brought up to the altar for a blessing. My dad, Rev. Don Cooke, could out-sing everyone! You would hear his resounding praise throughout the congregation even if you were sitting in the last pew…”Praise God from Whom all blesssssingssss flowwwwwwww! Praise Him all creatures heeeeere beeeeeeelowwwwwwww! Praise Him above ye heavennnnlyyyyyyyyy hoooooooosts! Praise Father, Son and Hoooolyyyyy Ghoooooost. Aaaaaaaamennnnnnn.” I can still imagine his thundering voice whenever I hear the Doxology sung.

For me, praising God resonates to my bones.  I believe the desire to praise God comes from somewhere deep in our soul. I love to worship and lift up his name because I know it is from him that I receive ALL blessings and strength and grace and mercy to make it through any given day.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)

I am reminded in my praising and worshiping that I am saved by grace – and I have a Heavenly, eternal home because of God’s great and unconditional love! The Bible says that God “inhabits” the praises of his people. Isn’t that an awesome picture?  That in our songs of praise, the LORD is there in the midst of that personal and communal song? “Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.” (Psalm 22:3)

Enthroned (Heb. yo-shev) literally means “to sit, to remain or to dwell.” So, this brief passage reveals a simple yet prevailing truth…that our holy God sits upon…remains over…dwells within our praises! I imagine our praises, like prayers are rising up as incense before God. And he is there…in the praise, above, before and all around our praise!

All of creation praises God. Just look around at nature, the stars, the sea, the animal kingdom! One of my favorite films to watch is the Planet Earth nature series. I love observing how the different species instinctively behave and interact with each other. Nature seems to know the Creator, and they respond intuitively, in the way they were created to. Because God made all things by and for love, it is natural for all of creation to live in response to that love. And that response is praise and worship of the Creator! That’s how I see it, anyway…

Psalm 148

Shout praises to the LORD!

Shout the LORD’s praises in the highest heavens.

All you angels, and all who serve him above,

Come and offer praise.

Sun and moon, and all of you bright stars,

Come and offer praise.

Highest heavens, and the water above the highest heavens,

Come and offer praise.

Let all things praise the name of the LORD,

Because they were created at his command.

He made them to last forever,

And nothing can change what he has done.

Every king and every ruler, all nations on earth,

Every man and every woman, young people and old,

Come praise the LORD!

All creation, come praise the name of the LORD.

Praise his name alone.

The glory of God is greater than heaven and earth!

Blessings,

Cheryl