Empowered by Praise预览

Holiness Worthy of Praise

The Bible is full of exhortations to praise the Lord. But besides being commanded to offer our praises, why are praise and worship so important? Praise is what links us to God and to all His heavenly host—as well as to the saints of the past and to all living creatures that God created. Praise is the ultimate means of "networking" in God's kingdom!

Praising the Lord is the one thing we do on earth that we will do forever in eternity. There may be other things that will carry over, such as trusting, loving, and desiring God. But in our outward behavior, praise is the one thing we know with certainty that we will continue to do in heaven.

For the angels, praise is a full-time occupation. They are praising the Lord in myriad numbers even as you are reading this sentence. The book of Revelation even records the content of their praise as they encircle Christ's throne:

Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise! 

—Revelation 5:12

And there’s more. The angels fall on their faces before the throne and worship God with these words:

Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen.

—Revelation 7:12

The angels, of course, are not the only creatures praising God in heaven. The saints who have gone before us—all people who have believed in Christ Jesus as their Savior and have served Him as their Lord—are joining the angels in this great praise song. Again, we read in Revelation:

Before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

—Revelation 7:9-10

Our loved ones who have died and joined the church in heaven are worshiping God, praising God, adoring God—and doing so with utter abandon.

It is baffling, then, that we who will be praising God on a full-time basis in heaven do so precious little praising of God on earth. Praise should never be just "one of the things we do." Our praise on earth should mirror the praise of God that goes on continually and for eternity in heaven.

Verse to think on: 

Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!—Psalm 150:1-2