Is God a great vacuum sweeper in the sky sucking up all the nice things that millions of persons, devout or not, have to say to him or about him? It seems that many persons imply that God exists, in the way they express themselves in words, even words glibly voiced. Rightly understood these words belong to praise and thanksgiving. We may give little serious attention to the meaning of his words or gestures for spiritual worship. Persons do much of what they do as consequence of the models they choose to follow. Responses made by habit, but without understanding will distort meaning. Much of what is said by mortals, and the way it is said, implies that God is some egomaniac up there who exists to count the points of honors, praises, appreciations, and the like that he is given each moment of the day. This perception is more than mere distortion, and dishonors God as well as mankind. The perception makes God a Superman who likes to be fawned over for his great holiness, prowess, strength and heroism. It is believed to have some benefit for persons placating deity. The attitude was commonly seen in ancient Rome as men and women played up to Caesar for favors. They even declared Caesar to be a god. We presume most persons did not believe it, even as they said it. They were simply sycophants.
It is a liberating thing to discover that God needs nothing from me, not praise, or honor, or thanks, or anything else. I do not, I cannot, by high minded compliments, curry his favor, to build up immortal accounts. God doesn’t need or want sycophants. God is God, quite complete in himself and eager to utilize his attributes in the care of his creation. Out of this we gain love, wisdom, creativity, virtue, and the like. Reduced somewhat in human quality, those factors are found in shadow. At best, persons can be assisted in expressing to modest degree the features that reveal the nature of God. That whole context is seen through a glass darkly. At least we can see something. There will be ultimate clarity, when God is found in our humility, truth and light.
Why then are praise, thanksgiving, humility, prayer, worship and accompaniments made so important, even necessary, in Scripture for devout persons? They are made vital because they are the most effective ways in which human beings can openly register felt truth about God, truth that is fulfilling to believers. The devout person must praise God as a matter of one’s own truth about God, and comfort (humility) to self in that acknowledgment. When the Creator, the Giver, the Savior, the Sustainer, has provided life, maintenance, hope, love, immortality and assorted other blessings, what can we do? We must do something or we fall apart, we fail, we sin, for we give nothing back for what we have freely received. Something has to go out from genuine believers or they burst. We must relieve pressure we find in ourselves, that pressure relates to respect, love and truth. At our best we want to give respect, as to our parents and to ourselves. Losing self- respect is a horrible consequence of misdirected life. We learn there is divine respect that we can only meet with worship. Out of this comes a strong perception in me about God. It is witness for the good of the listening person receiving its witness. Persons celebrate persons they love, especially when those persons achieve – perhaps a worker, a saint, a parent. So it is that we must celebrate God, who is infinitely more than all others. I yearn for God to refine and use what I think of him, and so to create in me motivation for righteousness and prayer. Praising God is prayer that assists me in identifying myself in the kingdom of God. I discover that all God wants of me is the health of righteousness and service to share the spiritual bounty. When I praise God I am recognizing truth, beginning with who God is as reality. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020