Unconditional Praise

Reading: Psalm 33

"Sing for joy in the Lord, O you righteous ones; Praise is becoming to the upright." Ps 33:1

Examination:

Human nature is to praise something for the personal benefit that is received. This text from Psalm calls on believers to praise God because it is what we are designed to do and because God is worthy.

Application:

God gives me unconditional love. Once I accepted His gift of salvation I became irrevocably tied to His love. There is nothing that can ever be done to separate me from His love. There is nothing I can do to make Him love me more. His love is continually lavished upon me without a single qualifier.

My response to God should be unconditional praise. If I base my offering of praise to God to the circumstances of my life then I am going to live life as a schizophrenic worshiper. I am going to spend a lot of days confused. I am not going to consistently be anything other than self-absorbed and self-centered.

I need to praise God because at my core that is what I am designed to do. It is becoming of me.

Prayer:

This morning I sense a deep conviction about just how selfish I my behavior can be. I look to You because of what I might get out of it. When I get what I want I feel at peace with You and praise is easy. When things do not go my way I become irritated and confused. My praise to You ebbs and flows like the tides of the sea. I am sorry.

You are the very essence of greatness. By Your word all that is in the heavens and earth were created. When You speak things happen absolutely according to what You say. You have fashioned my heart and understand me as no other being can. You alone are my hope. There is no strength and no deliverer other than You.

I set my heart upon You today. Help me to balance the ups and downs of this life by having a realistic view of eternity and You. The brevity of this life is nothing compared the everlasting joy that awaits me in the eternal world that is to come.