Practical Praise

When I think of the sacrifice that God made for me on the cross, my only response can be to offer Him praise. Charles Spurgeon, one of the great preachers of the nineteenth century, wrote the following in his book The Practice of Praise:

“We cannot, however we may resolve, praise God more and more if, as we grow older, we allow this world to take up our thoughts…You will find it small gain if you gain in this world, but lose in praising God. As we grow older, it is wise to concentrate more and more of our energies upon the one thing, the only thing worth living for — the praise of God.”

This is what church is all about. It is not about you and it is not about me. It is not about what you think and it is not about what I think. The purpose of the true Church of Jesus Christ is to worship and praise the triune God and to share the great gift that God has given us to a lost and dying world. Paul wrote in his letters to the early church that we are “strangers and aliens in this world.” Too often we get so caught up in living in the world that we forget that we are not a part of it. When we let the mindset of the world influence our thinking, then the body of Christ suffers because we think and act like the world.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie “Facing the Giants” is when the coach is alone with God at his wits end. He promises to praise God when things are good and to praise God when things are bad. While this is just a movie, it is filled with truth. Praise is an attitude of the heart. Praise is a reflection of the soul. Praise is determined by our will. Praise is a function of the mind that God gave you. Praise is a choice and a privilege. The Bible tells us that if we do not lift our praise that the very rocks will cry out. While creation may praise God, we are the ones given the ability to use words. Let us constantly be reminded of this as we lift up a song of praise.

Read the text of the hymn: “Man of Sorrows, What a Name.”

Man of sorrows what a name
For the Son of God who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim
Hallelujah what a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude
In my place condemned He stood
Sealed my pardon with His blood
Hallelujah what a Savior!

Guilty vile and helpless we
Spotless Lamb of God was He
Full atonement can it be
Hallelujah what a Savior!

Lifted up was He to die
It is finished was His cry
Now in heaven exalted high
Hallelujah what a Savior!

When He comes our glorious King
All His ransomed home to bring
Then anew this song we'll sing
Hallelujah what a Savior!

'Til next time!