Praise

 My life is an example to many,

because You have been my strength and protection.

That is why I can never stop praising You,

I declare Your Glory all day long.

Psalm 71:7-8

As we carry on with what we can give to Jesus this season or the pa-rumpa-papum project as I like to call it, it brings to mind a certain offspring of mine who "didn't like to sing the songs in church." Instantly flabbergasted and appalled I didn't know what to say at that moment.  I have been a song girl since I found my Savior. I could spend sun up to sun down singing His praises. I know however God gives us different gifting and blessings but this conversation was not about that. So I asked said child as we were driving home from church, "What can you offer Him?" The child quite confused by my start of the conversation. "Who?" "Jesus- the one who came to Earth to suffer and die for your sins so you can live in no fear of damnation. What can I offer him back?" "Not a lot you can get God," my child said. -Oh but how wrong he was as we will see at the end of all this. I tried to explain it like this, "You are right. It can be a group of songs we sing to get to the message. You can sing the words or maybe not. Go through the motions. How do you feel?" "Same." "See here is where our paths diverge "(yes this is the vocab I use with my kids. I am weird.  

"When I begin to sing the song, I have to take a minute and remind myself what I am doing. I am not just singing a pretty song. I am acknowledging who He was, is, and will be.  I knowingly offer this song, as little as it may seem sometimes, but I offer it as my heart's sacrifice. I focus heaven word and think on how proud the Maker is of all His children as praise just pours though the heavens. I am not just singing a singing a song, but reminding myself who He is, causing my heart to become more pliable in the potters hand,  reminding myself of His faithfulness in my life, and coming to offer Him one thing that He created me to do. Bring Praise to His Holy name. 

Praise shifts the atmosphere. Suddenly your focus has been altered and you can see situations for what they really are with our God lens. I remember a time in life where I was weary. Oh so weary. I was driving somewhere alone, and I thought to myself, God I have nothing left to give. I can't even open my mouth to pray, because every time I tried I would choke up. I did get a whispered "Jesus" out. Which is a side note but an important one none the less. There is power in the name of Jesus. So many times in my life I have had nothing else to utter. Again, His name brings focus, clarity, and I believe a shift in the heavenly realm. Try it when you're scared, hurt, tired, excited, thankful, joyful...you get the idea. Sometimes His name is all we need. 

I remember being at a training for my Christian camp where I was going to be a camp counselor. Kathy White asked us to bow our heads so we could open it all in prayer. We obediently did what Kathy said (if you were blessed to know dear Kathy, she wasn't a woman you argued with). It got so very, very quiet. Especially with over thirty 20somethings gathered together. We just stood there quietly. At first it felt awkward, but then it felt peaceful. The atmosphere was changing. After a few minutes, Kathy quietly whispered, "Jesus....Jesus.....Jesus." Then she was silent again. A few more minutes and she lifted her head and said "Amen." Hands down one of the most powerful prayers I ever heard prayed. It wasn't Kathy, it was acknowledgment of the name that called us all here that changed it all. 

As I was driving down this road, I felt a tug at my heart. "You can praise me." Praise? I wasn't feeling very "praisey" at the moment. My life was falling around my ears. "Praise me." came the persistent voice. A song I had been playing over and over again was a song by elevation worship called do it again. I opened my mouth to sing and again couldn't get the words out. As I drove on, I straightened my back and thought this is one battle the enemy isn't going to win. I began to hum out the song. It shifted. Right there in my white mini van in the middle of the road, in the mist of my valley, the atmosphere changed. I was no longer looking down but up. Oh and isn't up such a glorious place to see. My humming got louder and louder and soon I started to be able to recite some lines "I know the night won't last, Your Word will come to pass. My heart will sing your praise again."Suddenly I was having my own worship verse. Singing out with tears streaking down my face. But I felt it, the spiritual atmosphere shift.  I was no longer starring at my shoe strings wondering how I was going to provide for my kids. I was in the very presence of God!

That's what Praise does. It changes things, You might not think so in that minute- although it often is the case for me- but you are beating back the enemy. You are standing on the promises of God and praising His never ending goodness to you. How can I grow weary and weak  with my Jehovah Jireh- my provider by my side.

I get it child. I don't always feel like praise either. But that's the enemy talking, because he knows when we Praise the Lord on High powerful things happen. The world starts to get set straight.The realignment that is someday coming is beginning. The King is Among us. Darkness must flee praise. It is like acid dripping into the ears of the lost. It reminds them of how much they lost and how much we gained. The darkness flees, the Holy Spirit fills the air, a change is taking place. Certainly in the spirit world we are winning battles, but even in the physical one here we are moving forward. We start to see the world from a Godly perspective and suddenly I am not so lost anymore. 

Praise is like climbing up onto my Father God's lap, and telling Him how awesome he is. It doesn't always have to be song. Maybe a Prayer lifted up to remind us. Maybe a testimony of God's saving Grace to push back the darkness. All I know is this, I never end up where I started when I Praise my Father in Heaven. He moves mountains in the spiritual realm and He moves in my own situation. He brings whatever I need because I first acknowledged He is the Great I Am and apart from Him I have nothing. Humility is a praise worthy trait in the kingdom. God never intended you to go this world alone. He wants to walk with you. What better way, what better gift to give Him than His rightful Praise. 

Today, to honor you God most High, I bring my praise. May it rise on wings of eagles and never grow weary. You are a God who is worthy of the most high praise. 

Today, I bring you my praise.