Hello, Pike Baptist Church Family!
Last week, we kicked off our 6-week series on prayer by looking at Confession as a response to God’s holiness. This Sunday, we’ll continue by exploring the topic of Praise—an act that flows naturally from recognizing who God is.
For a long time, I thought I understood what “praise” meant. Like many people, I associated it with our Sunday service’s “Praise and Worship” portion. But it wasn’t until I worked through the workbook In God’s Presence that I realized how much more Praise is. Praise is not just something we do; it’s a response to the attributes of God—who He is in His very nature.
This understanding unlocked something in me. Until then, I had viewed Praise as a part of our worship routine. But seeing it as a response to God’s attributes made it real and personal. I began to think about how we praise the abilities of athletes like Michael Jordan on the basketball court or Tiger Woods on the golf course. We admire their talent and recognize the greatness of what they can do. But with humans, we know that what we admire is temporary—it fades with time.
God, however, is eternal. When we praise Him, we aren’t acknowledging abilities that will one day fade. We are recognizing His unchanging nature. His attributes—His power, love, justice, and faithfulness—are not just qualities He possesses; they define who He is.
Here are just a couple of examples:
God is omnipotent, meaning He isn’t just able to do mighty things—He is all-powerful by nature.
God is love, as 1 John 4:8 reminds us. Love isn’t just something He does; it is the very essence of who He is.
When we praise God, we are responding to these truths. Just like we instinctively recognize unique abilities in others, we react in awe to God’s greatness. But unlike human ability, which is fleeting, God’s attributes are eternal and perfect. Praise connects our hearts to His infinite nature, lifting our focus from the temporary to the everlasting.
This Sunday, as we explore prayers of Praise, I invite you to think about the attributes of God that stir your heart. What do you see in Him that leads you to respond with Praise?
I’m looking forward to diving into this with you on Sunday!
Grace and peace,
Will