Praise is..

Have you ever had a song stuck in your head that you just had to sing in order for it to go away?  When you sang it you found yourself moving to the beat and getting excited as if it was your first time listening to it?  Have you ever had a song that brought back so many memories and you immediately found yourself singing, clapping, dancing, and giving thanks?  Or maybe you were down and a song came on the radio that completely changed your mood.  You begin to feel free, inspired, encouraged, and like everything was going to be alright.  My friend that is praise.  Praise is an outward expression that cannot be contained.  It has the power to affect our moods, spirits, and mindset.  Psalms 33, 98, 108, 150, and more call for everyone to praise the Lord with song, with shouting, with instruments, with dance.  There are so many ways to praise God that you never have to pick just one.  If you’ve ever been in a Baptist church, then you know we do not sit still during praise and worship.  Some of us cut up and let loose, while others are reserved and timid.  God calls for us to make joyful noises and to give Him praise.  1 Chronicles 13:8 (NIV) says “David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets.”  You may not have all of these instruments at your disposal when you praise God, but you do have might.  Praise is a full body experience (and a workout too).  It requires our mouths, our hearts, our hands, arms, feet, legs, core, butts, backs, and necks.  David and the Israelites celebrated with all of their might.  This means that they were not worried about who was watching them or messing up their hair do.  They gave God their all with each praise.

#UnitedinLoveBook