WHOLEHEARTED PRAISE
Scripture Reading--Psalm 9:1a
Praise calls for full concentration of all our faculties. David determined to praise the Lord with his whole heart.
Acceptable praise is more than just mouthing words. True praise comes from the depths of our souls. It's something that involves our entire being, our whole heart. Halfheartedness has no place in the Christian life. Ecclesiastes says, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might" ( 9:10a ). In other words, when we do something, we should put all of our energies in it. We should be enthusiastic! If our faces look like a reprint of the Book of Lamentations, we need a facelift. Going through the emotions isn't enough. We need to put our strength, mind, and soul into it. We should praise the Lord with our whole heart.
The Bible says much about the heart of man. It describes a hard heart, a fainting heart, a stirred heart, a merry heart, a trembling heart, a tender heart, and a perfect heart. Our heart is the seat of our affections. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" ( Matt. 6:21 ). We become preoccupied with things that are valuable to us and invest in them. We meditate about concerns that are important to us. Whatever we treasure is precious to us.
Worship is good because it interrupts our preoccupation with self! god desires full-blown praise from the depths of our souls.
Songs and hymns of praise are joyful celebrations of God's righteousness.
Fanny Crosby wrote the following hymn of praise:
Praise Him! praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Sing, O earth, His wonderful love proclaim!
Hail Him! hail Him! highest archangels in glory;
Strength and honor give to His holy name!
Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard His children,
In His arms He carries them all day long.
SONG TIME: Sing this great hymn of praise to the Lord with all your heart.
--Harold Vaughan--
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