Praise Worthy!!!

I come to you with a  few questions:

•   What does it mean to praise?
•   How do you measure it’s worth?
•   Is ALL praise noteworthy and acceptable?

According to Webster’s dictionary :  Praise – worth, price:     1. to express approval or admiration of   2. to glorify (God, etc.), as in song – N. a praising or being praised; commendation. Praise’worthy adj. – worthy of praise.

So according to Webster’s definition, to offer praise of any sort it must first be worthy, of great price.  And in expressing that praise, you are also expressing approval or admiration of this price.  And it would seem, by definition, that the object of that praise be worthy……so having proved it’s worth!

So the only way to answer my own questions,  find me compelled to line up my praise of anything, with it’s intrinsic value.  This leads me to a related issue:  that of establishing ‘worth and value’ .

If I have tried to seek out what is truly valuable, that which does NOT burn up in the fire, but instead STANDS….shining as pure gold……I find myself over and over returning to the work Jesus accomplished on the Cross of Calvary.  What was that work?  To die in place of the one(s) who deserved to…..to take upon Himself all of the guilt, shame, condemnation, accountability, and payment for justification, according to the ‘law’, of one already declared guilty, with evidence fully disclosed, to back the charges demanding  recompense of said charges.  WOW!

And who of any of us, can claim such worth as to take on the mistakes and short comings of ourselves, our loved ones, or the world around us?  NOT ONE OF US!  There is NO ONE worthy to pay this price…..save One.  JESUS….the Son of God….who IS God, who IS perfect (without any sin), who IS worthy to pay this price so that we too can be counted among the worthy!  ONLY JESUS!!!

I submit to you…..the Psalms.  Written by David.  In these collection of Psalms, written by the inspiration of the Spirit of God (Jehovah), through the hand of a ‘flawed’ man…we find out what this Holy God treasures most.  How do we begin to imagine what a holy God treasures most?  By His character, by His declarations, by His pursuit of that which He deems valuable! He declared David to be a man after His own Heart.  From my viewpoint, David had many failures, many shortcomings.  He was NOT perfect, anymore than I am perfect…..and yet, God declared him to be a “man after My Own Heart.”  I believe that God saw past the human mistakes to the heart that was quick to repent and turn back to God.  He was teachable and had a desire for more of God.  In fact, when push came to shove….David couldn’t stand the thought of living his life without God in it!

Could it be that He (God) truly does not look on the outward appearance of man, but looks on the heart?  Could it be that our interpretations of ‘worthy of praise’, are more closely lining up with the Pharisaical views of religion, instead of lining up with the very LOVE that made the payment required ONCE and for ALL?  Could it be that none of our righteousness can pay the price that is demanded for justice?  Could it be that there is ONLY ONE worthy of the kind of praise that stands alone among a sea of contenders?

Once this truth sinks into our hearts & minds; that Jesus fulfilled all the requirements of the ‘law’ by being Himself the only WORTHY payment for such transgressions that fall at the feet of mankind….then and only then do we begin to understand WORTH.  Then and only then do we begin to see VALUE.  Then and only then, do we begin to understand PRAISE.

Much like most of David’s writings in the Psalms. He honestly expressed his feelings, pain, frustrations, and short comings…..he came to the end of himself through the trials each circumstance brought….and ALWAYS re-cast himself back at God’s feet while extolling His Name, and begging Him to take anything from Him but not to remove His Spirit from his life.

I am blessed whether or not others call it blessing or not. I am in a constant ‘processing’ of the truth…..of value….of what is praise worthy.  My ‘value’ system used to line up with false paradigms which were born out of my experiences, my pain levels, and the feelings of never laying a hold of the brass ring.  After many trips around the ‘mountain’ that served to not only impede my progress but also to lie to me of my worth in His Eyes; and after many seasons of Papa captivating my heart with His truth, His love, His purpose in my life; my heart is now getting closer to lining  up with what HE treasures most, instead of with what the world treasures most.  And like King David,after honestly processing each fact, each emotion, each outcome……I also find myself crying, “Take anything from me, but please do not EVER take Your Spirit from me!!!”

So to answer my own questions:

• “What does it mean to praise?”  It means that something or someone has been deemed to be praiseworthy.  Is deserving because they don’t just speak love, but SHOW love with their actions. When there is nothing for them to gain, but they pay for something, they themselves are not guilty of.  When our eyes become opened, we cannot help but cry out in PRAISE (adoration, love returned, thankfulness, in awe of who He is, consumed with new passion, resting in His finished work, and offering ourselves back to Him).
• “How do you measure it’s worth?”  His worth, having already been established, how then do you measure the worth of the one who is praising?  They see, having had their own shortcomings clearly established, that there is no one else worthy of their praise, but to the One who has proven His worth.  When that praise escapes the lips of the unworthy, He is drawn like a magnet to the one who has humbled himself/herself before Him.  It’s worth is the sweet incense that rises to the Throne, causing Him to lean over and breathe it in.
• “Is all praise noteworthy and acceptable?”   The praises of little children in simplicity.  The praises of those who were once blind, but now they see.  The praises of thankful hearts who have experienced His touch or His deliverance.  The praises of those who have had their mourning turned to dancing.  The praises of  those who insist that no rock is going to cry out because of their silence.  The praises of the ones who have themselves gone through the fire(s) and realized He is worthy, and can offer from their lips:  the praise of adoration, the praise of exultation, the praise of submission, the praise of identification with His persecutions, the praise of His over-comings, victories & resurrection life power.

Even the praises…maybe even ESPECIALLY the praises of the ones who are kneeling in the dirt, the breath knocked out of them, their pride laid aside, their reputations gone, their hopes dashed upon the rocks with no light at the end of the tunnel…..but they  offer up the “sacrifice of praise”, when there is nothing worth boasting of in themselves.  He ALONE becomes their “boast”….and it becomes their very sustenance to boast of HIM ALONE!