Beyond Praise

Emily Dickinson wrote a poem, arguably her best known, called "Hope Is a Thing With Feathers." The metaphor linking hope to the image of a bird does indeed evoke a feeling of uplifting warmth. But what about when our circumstances are so devastating that we have to look down to look up? How can we grab on to hope then? Sometimes in this dark and dreary world hope has to be helped along ... it has to be nudged along through praise. More specifically, through worship.

Praise, the acknowledgment of the worthy acts of another (in this instance, God) is mentioned, and commanded in Scripture again and again. We are to praise the Lord with singing (Isaiah 12:5), shouting (Psalm 33:1), dance (Psalm 150:4), and musical instruments (Psalm 150:3-5). And as we praise, miracles are ushered in.

Like in the story of Silas and Paul who, when beaten and in shackles, sang praises to God in prison at midnight. Praising God for pain? For being treated unfairly? No, praising God because, in the valley of their pain, He was there. And, when they praised, God did indeed show up, big time (Acts 16:16-40). But the miracles that ensued would not have happened if they hadn't taken their eyes off their problems, horrible as they were, and focused on the sweet Person of Him Who died for us, Jesus the Christ. And herein lies the distinction between praise and worship. I greatly doubt that their songs were sung by rote; rather, they welled up from the innermost parts of their being. More than superficial praise, they engaged in whole hearted lauding of their Savior.

Why? Because they knew that He is with them always. That In their most profound disappointment, He was there.

In your most devastating experience, He is there. And here is the crux of the matter: there is praise and then there is worship. Our God is worthy of all praise, of having His wonderful qualities and merciful actions in our lives enumerated and glorified through our mouths, our singing, our music. And yet, while praise is a discipline necessary to our Christian well being, it is a surface lauding of God. To worship, one must enter into a whole different plane of engagement with the One True God. We can sing--or we can sing, with all our heart, mind, and soul, our entire being fixed solely on the Giver of Life.

Why worship? First of all, because Jesus expects it of His followers. He told the woman at the well, "... the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him" (John 4:23).

Second, it opens a floodgate of blessings from above to the believer. When the kings of Israel and Judah looked for a word from the Lord, the prophet Elisha, he who did twice as many miracles as Elijah, called for a minstrel. "And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him" (2 Kings 3:15). While the musician played, Elisha's soul reached out to God in worship. And the word of the Lord that came forth resulted in one of the greatest miracles related in the Old Testament. And it came through worship.

Third, it brings deliverance to the beleaguered believer. Psalm 32:7 says, "Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance." Those are not empty words written to fill up the page. No matter what the problem you are facing, focusing on Jesus, exalting Him, thinking on Him, worshiping Him ushers in the presence and deliverance of God. There, in the valley of pain, as you focus on the One Who died for you, Who loves you unconditionally, you will come face to face with Him, His greatness, His mercy, His love, and you will not come away the same. When Paul and Silas were singing in the depths of the dungeon, I don't think they were voicing songs by rote. In their pain, they were focusing on Him Who loved them and died for them, engaging all their being not only in praise, but in sincere worship. And look what happened.

So if hope seems elusive, if the pain in your life is crushing, paralyzing, take your eyes off of the things around you and worship Him. And as you do, hope will arise and wrap its comforting arms around you and lift you up. No matter what your circumstances are today, do not be discouraged. Praise Him with all your being in true worship and you will see a miracle in your life. Even if the circumstances seem to stay the same, your heart, your hope, will rise and the shackles of whatever grieves you will fall away.

This year has been one of painful, challenging life experiences for Dennis and myself. There have been times when we have felt all but pressed down to a point of total devastation. But God! As we have focused on Him, worshiped Him, our spirits have been revived by Him Who is Ever Faithful; we have been lifted up, and now, months later, we see the hand of God moving, changing those hurtful circumstances into something that will glorify God.

I love what the protagonist in Jane Eyre had written on her young friend's tombstone: Resurgam, Latin for "I will rise again." That's what all who put their faith in Christ Jesus will do, they will rise again. But our spirits don't have to wait till Jesus' second coming to experience a rising again. In every circumstance now, we can experience that resurgam. We can praise, we can worship,--and we can rise in hope on eagles' wings.

"Thou will show me the path of life; in thy presence there is fullness of joy; at thy right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11).

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning ;you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).