February 4, 2008
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Nobody likes that guy who expects to be praised by others, who’s bearing and attitude proudly suggests that people should stop and applaud their every accomplishment, great or small. That person who demands the approval of people, the man with the entourage of puppets to give assurance of his success.
I’ve found myself in the past years looking with disdain on that category of personalities. And it wasn’t until just this past week that I realized how my abhorrence for this character was not limited to just the people I saw around me. Subconsciously, altho never realizing it or admitting it to myself when I did, that I sometimes viewed God that way. All throughout Scripture you see our Lord commanding us to praise Him. Worship in the morning, the afternoon, evening…If He is such a humble God, why does He demand that all the world fall down and worship Him? Yes, I could see He deserves it, yet it’s hard to give what is constantly demanded of you.
I know I’m not the only one who has thought that before, altho few would admit it, since the very thought is such a sacrilegious affair, and no good Christian should think such a thought, let alone voice it. Yet even C.S.Lewis admits to such doubts. And it was through reading what this man’s journey to understanding of this that also answered the question for myself.
And now, I see why. As C.S.Lewis puts it, “it is in the process of being worshipped that God communicated His presence to men.” As I read that the first time, I immediately knew the truth of the statement, because I had seen it firsthand in my own life. As I have come before the Lord day by day over the past few years growing deeper in my walk and have taken deliberate time to praise the Lord, His presence has become so marvelously sweet to me. King David was the very “man after God’s own heart,” and what is he most known for? His psalms of praise to the Lord. He WAS the man after God’s own heart because God had communicated Himself to King David through his passionate worship of his King.
God’s command to praise and worship Him is not the demands of an egotistical dictator, but of a gentle God who longs to make His presence known in the intimacy of praise.
Comments (3)
You are right…it is a command. But I am learning (ever so slowly) that the more I spend time with the Lord and He opens my mind and heart to Him in a new and fresh way…the command to praise Him is not a burden, but a joy. It is a continual process of teaching and learning…Hand in hand. I keep trying.
Praise God, you are learning an important concept at a tender age!
As humans we are naturally rebellious toward anyone who puts himself above us or gives us commands to do something simply because he wants us to do it! You are among the hordes and millions of human beings who feel this.
Could it be that as humans, our premise is wrong? Because WE are told to be humble does not mean that God is to be humble. I know of no place in Scripture where God describes Himself as humble. (EXCEPT that Jesus laid aside His glory and humbled Himself to become man. The only humility He demonstrated is in being the God/Man. And then He only humbled Himself to the Father’s will.)
I have struggled with this particular concept in the past – if God is not humble, how can He be good? If He is demanding, how can He be good? If He is not good, how can He demand praise? It is one of the few attributes that God expects of us that He does not demonstrate in His glorified state. To be humble, one has to humble oneself TO something. To what or to whom would God humble Himself? Nothing. For God to say that He is humble would be false humility, and a misnomer when there nothing for Him to be humble toward.
And as women, we struggle with this twofold in that we will (if we marry) be commanded (by God) to be submissive to another human. It’s bad enough to be submissive to an infallible, all-knowing, all-loving God, but now to a fallible human? Oh my! This brings such opportunities to trust God. I digress, but I think these concepts are related.
It is so important to decide in one’s mind, not feel in one’s emotions that GOD IS GOOD. Completely all the time, in every circumstance. We can certainly worship and praise, with joy, a God who is good all the time. If we diverge from the notion that He is completely good, just and right, we come away with a view of a God who is an vindictive, arbitrary, dictatorial egomaniac.
If you can get hold of this at your age, you will be way ahead of most of us, and it will most certainly help you in your married years.
You are a dear girl, I am glad you are my daughters’ friend.
The ever-seeking
Mrs B
Congratulations if you made it all the way through this long, convoluted response. ;o)
Thought I’d visit your site – it’s been so long.