10 Days of Praise: Day 6

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My 10 Days of Praise is nearly over, but I thought it appropriate to clarify why I made a point of focusing only on praise and clarifying why it's different from worship and thanksgiving.

• Worship: the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity

• Praise: to express warm approval or admiration of someone or something

• Thanksgiving: an expression of gratitude

So often we interchange these three behaviors as if they are all the same. They're not, as you can clearly see from their definitions. Each is a different type of honor shown to God, given of our free will. They address three distinct areas that we are to bless Him.

We worship God when we give him reverence and adore him in our actions, words, and thoughts. This is generally a stance we take such as singing, lifting hands, prayers of adoration. When he blesses us, we express our thankfulness by giving him thanks, just as you would anyone who did something for you.

But praise is something completely different from the other two. Praise shows our approval of God and His choices for us. It's admiring Him for His abilities and His character. The power and grace and mercy of God should be awe inspiring. It should result in an earnest praise of his attributes.  It is more than thankfulness. Praise is admiration and approval for all that God is and all He does, and all that He has yet to do.

Praise is the complete surrender to God as the beginning and ending of our faith. It is a form of surrender. When we approve of God and his methods, we're saying He knows best, that He is in charge and we approve of that arrangement. Praise is a form of submission to God by showing our admiration and approval of his actions, regardless of how we think or feel about them.  It is acknowledging his authority and accepting Him as that authority. You see in these verses the use of both praise and worship. Exaltation is a form of worship.

I will bless the Lord at all times;

His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;

The humble shall hear of it and be glad.

Oh, magnify the Lord with me,

And let us exalt His name together.

  --Psalms 34:1-3

I praise you, Lord for your authority and kingship over me. I give You my approval to manage the affairs of my life and I admire You for the grace and mercy You have shown.

Take time today to give God your praise. Even if it is just for one day.