Vol III: #42 Give Praise How You Give Praise
The final chapters of the Psalms are encouragements to Praise the Lord. When I was a child this meant performing specific tasks: dancing a certain way, raising hands like a Buddha, and reciting worn out phrases. I was too young to understand what the scripture meant, and I do not advise punishing children to worship the Lord. My parents spared me- for the most part- but most of the kids who were tortured into worship did not stick with it.
Worship will always be a willful act of gratitude. Anything else is false. Even and especially for children. As adults, we can ‘fake it till we make it’ because we know that actions can lead to attitude. Children do not. At least, I didn’t. I hated worship until well into my adults years. Each Sunday, when the music hit, I was too concerned with “doing it right.” And, I judged those around me.
Fortunately, I found freedom in worship and an ability to offer my own praises. My new found liberty shined a new light on the final chapters of the Psalms, because they slapped. For the first time, I saw them not as a formula to please God, but an invitation to remember His goodness. I won’t dance across a stage or in an isle, but I will sing to him on my walks, and write and cook for Him. I will thank him for delicious cheeses and crunchy pecans, and offer a prayer for every gorgeous sunset. And when my loved ones suffer, and He heals them, I’ll never forget who I prayed to.
I believe the most important aspect of worship is authenticity. Going through the motions isn’t the worst idea. Sometimes we just need to start before our thoughts/emotions fall in line. That’s real. But, at some point in the process, conviction must take the reins- where words become truth and truth becomes worship. God is good, all the time. His blessings are real, all the time. Even at our lowest moments, He was there to love us through it.
Happy Thanksgiving, y’all. Eat something good and enjoy the day.
