BEAUTY OF PRAISE AND HONOR
Each time I attend a Church service or Christian fellowship, one of the moments I cherish most is praise and worship. That session uplifts my soul and attunes my spirit to focus on the supremacy of God above all things; prepares me to receive the word of God and open doors for miracles to take place. Praise could mean to commend the worth of, to glorify God as in songs, hymns of adorations and in worship. In praise, we come to the Almighty God in reverence, in adoration and in supplication. We lift up our voices, our hearts and even “holy hands in worship. It is time to prayerfully sing to the Lord, the Great I am, the King of Glory and the Lord of all creation, in honor of His Name for who He is and for His great and manifold deeds. We come before His presence in singing, making joyful noises unto the Lord, knowing that He made us and we are His people.
In humility we present our sacrifice of praise, supplication and lay our needs before Him. Before the mighty Jehovah who reigns His people tremble and humbly bow before Him in total submission, for He is worthy of our praise and He inhabits the praise of His people. So we praise His great majesty and awesome name. God is the Rock of our salvation, the Redeemer and the Deliverer of His people. We enter His gates with thanksgiving and unto His courts with praise. We thankfully bless His Holy Name for the Lord is good and His mercies endured forever. His truth is for all generations. Before the King of Glory we give Him the glory due to His Name, bring offerings into His court and worship the Lord in the beauty of His holiness.
The psalmist says, shout to the Lord all the earth, break forth with songs, rejoice and sing praise, make music to the Lord with harps and sounds of psalms with trumpets and sounds of horns. Shout joyfully before the Lord, the King (Psalm 98:4-6). Psalm 92 says it is good to praise the Lord and give thanks to His Name, to declare His loving kindness in the morning and His faithfulness every night; in an instrument of ten strings, on the lute, on the harp, with harmonious sound. For the Lord has made us glad through the works of His hands. Sing to the Lord a new song in the assembly of the saints. Praise His Name in His sanctuary and in the firmament of His power, with trumpet, psaltery, harp, dancing, music of tambourine and high sounding cymbals for God takes pleasure in His people and redeem the humble with salvation. Let the saints rejoice in His honor and sing for joy with high praise in their mouth and double edged sword in their hand. Let every living thing that has breath praise the Lord (Psalm 149, 150).
Isaiah had a glimpse of the holiness of the Lord in His Throne and angels in sessions of ceaseless praise and worship, he trembled and cried I am doomed and done for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty. Moses saw the burning flame in the middle of the bush, which was on fire, yet it was not consumed. This was beautiful and catchy, yet a strange scenario (Exodus 3). In Exodus 15, when God led the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry land and Pharaohs horses, his chariots and his horsemen buried in the same sea, Moses, the Israelite and for specific mentioned Miriam with tambourines and dancing sang a new song ( Ex 15: 1-4, 11, 21 & Revelation 15:3). Rev 4 reveals that the Lord, sitting on His throne, in His dominion and greatness; surrounded by numerous angels and 24 thrones with an elder seated in each throne. Day and night they lived and sang His holy praise in worship, chanting Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty, who was, who is, and is to come, worthy to receive glory honor and power All these and more demonstrated the beauty of His praise.
Where there is praise, there must be honor. For praise without honor is worthless, fake and cheerful deceit. The beauty of praise carries with it the dignity of honor. Honor has been defined as a keen sense of ethical conduct. It is related to honesty, personal integrity and respect or godly fear or reverence. In 1 Samuel 2:30, those who honor me, I shall honor. We honor God by living according to His status, directions or living His way. When we learn to put aside our own feelings and reasonings and just be obedient to Gods word, the Lord promised he will honor us and protect us from our enemies.
Apostle Peter admonished, abstain fleshly lust that war against the soul, let your manner of life (conversation and honest living) among unbelievers despite that they speak against you, be such that as they witness and emulate, glorify God in the day of judgment. We are not only urged to say good things but act and live them (1Peter 2:11-12). You can become a vessel of honor by purging yourself and conducting your business in honor and humility; fleeing youthful lust and following after righteousness, faith, love, peace with all those who call on the name of the Lord out of pure and honest heart (1 Timothy 6:1, 2; 2 Timothy 2: 15-22; Colossians 3: 2, 5-18). Honor God and do not dishonor your body; honor demand discipline and judgment. We are a chosen generation, called out to walk in truth and honesty; this is pleasing to our heavenly Father (1Peter 3:7, 3 John 4: 11; 1 Corinthians 11: 31-32).
King David understood that praise goes along with honor. It is not made with words alone but words matched with action. In Psalm 116:12-14, he put it this way, What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people. Why must he do all these? Verses 1 through 11 provide answers. Also Psalm 8: 2, 9; 1-2, 7-14 said even from the lips of children and infants have ordained praise; I will praise you o Lord with all my heart and tell of your wonders. The Lord also sits on His throne to watch and examine the behavior and sayings of men (Psalm 11: 4-5; 12: 1-4)
In Genesis 39: 8-9 Joseph praised and honored God when he refused to sleep with his masters wife. He wondered, How can I do such wickedness and sin against God? (Proverbs 6:23-26, 32-33; Exodus 20:14). Joseph knew that stolen waters taste sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant, unknowingly, death is hidden there. (Proverbs 9: 17-18). Joseph understood the gravity of the act he was being allured into. It was not only a sin against his master but most importantly against God (Exodus 20:14-17).
Another giant of God, Daniel had proposed in his heart not to defile himself with the kings delicacies or drink his wine (Daniel 1:8). He knew it was a trap to get him eats what was sacrificed to Baal. In another instance, the three Hebrew boys refused to bow or worship the image of gold of Nebuchadnezzar set up even when they knew the refusal shall end them in blazing furnace. They replied the king saying, if we are thrown inside the fire, the God we worship shall rescue us but even if he does not, let the king know we know better than to worship the image of gold he set up (Daniel 3:17-19). The beauty of praise and honor is also seen in Jobs reaction to his situation (Job1:20-21, 2:9-10). In all, Job did not charge God with wrong doing.
When we stand in the congregation of saints to say we love God, we bless His name and we worship Him, do we consider what we say? It is a double entry; one cannot go without the other. It is honor that gives credibility and power to praise; that is where we share the bond of fellowship. It becomes an act of worship, an act of victory, an act of cleansing and submission; where the proud is humbled, a sinner sees his/her nakedness and the sick get healing. It is a moment the weak become strong, the poor get rich and nobody becomes somebody as well as ordinary people become extraordinary. It is a session where the rich and the poor stand on level ground at the cross of Christ. In our journey of faith, Satan is out there to test our faith and claims. Do not forget that God is present everywhere and He honors those who honor Him. Does our praise honor God? Does what we say reflect what we do? Your response calls for self examination; do not be afraid to challenge your doubts and preconceptions. Do not be deceived, the beauty of praise is in the honor; praise without honor is noise.