Praise

Do you ever sit and wonder “am I living the life of Worship and Praise that the Father requires of me?” No? (Maybe it’s just me then ) Or do you ever wonder “what does Worship/Praise look like in the nitty gritty everyday-run-of-the-mill life we live?”

The Hebrew language has 7 different words for Praise:

1. Halal: (where we get the word ‘Hallelujah’ from) meaning to Praise the Lord; to shine; to boast; to rave; to be clamorously foolish (see, it’s ok to be foolish sometimes ;) ) (see Psalm 150, 113:1)

2. Yadah: to throw up your hands and give thanks for the things you’ve received (see Psalm 138:1, Psalm 63:4)

3. Towdah: to throw up your hands and give thanks for the things you have NOT yet received (see Psalm 50:23; 50:14)

4. Barak: to kneel down; humble yourself; this was the posture to receive blessing (see Psalm 34:1; 95:6)

5. Tehilla: to respond and sing to God in an unscripted way; often referred to as the purest praise; spontaneous (see Psalm 22:3)

6. Zamar: “to touch the strings” (literal translation); to skillfully play a stringed instrument (see Psalm 33:2, 21:13)

7. Shabac: to speak in a “high” manner – both loudly and with lofty speech as to announce a monarch or head of state; to commend; to triumph; to exclaim; to shout (see Psalm 145:4, 63:1,3,4)

Praise is SO many beautiful, messy, loud, incredible things! It isn’t just a couple of song during the Sunday morning service. It’s in every facet of every part of life! It is ‘hanging onto the promises of God, waiting for what He said He would do in His word’, it is dancing in the aisles in awe of a Savior who gave it all, it is utter thankfulness for a hydro bill being paid on time or incredible favor for the ‘impossible’, it is using your gift of music to honor the King of Kings, it is to shout ‘Hallelujah’ in victory and command the enemy to step back, it is the simple song that comes from your heart and expresses what written words cannot! It is an attitude of gratitude!!

Recently my husband and I travelled to the Philippines to work with an NGO (non-government organization) called Gentle Hands (you can check them out on Facebook or at www.gentlehands.org.) To be honest, there were days when I felt weak in the knees as I learned of the stories that brought these children there. Such despair and sadness outside of the walls of the four storey building that is home to 50+ kids! BUT, within the walls was a joy that was contagious (along with the flu that was also contagious). In those two weeks my heart changed from being saddened by the hurt all around me to being joyful and praising HIM for being in the middle of the chaos and pain, for bringing healing and health to each of those kids, to being a resting place for so many who had never found rest until their meeting with Gentle Hands.

To hold the face of a three month old little girl who was found in the garbage can at a fast-food restaurant and tell her that she is PRECIOUS, WORTHY, CALLED, PURPOSED not because I say so, but because the KING of the UNIVERSE says so. To hold 14 month old twins who were stolen from their mother at the hospital and sold to another couple for a few hundred dollars and proclaim to them that they were indeed bought with a price by a SAVIOR who KNEW YOU, LOVED YOU and has called you HIS OWN! I’ve seen Jesus’ face . . it is in each child living at Gentle Hands as they sing and dance recklessly to the new Hillsong Kids DVD, it is in a little boy who took his very first steps for me and for the first time ever had someone rejoice with him for something he had done, it is in a little girl who fell asleep peacefully as she FINALLY knew what it was like to have an earthly father hold her and love her (she went home with her Forever Family while we were there – beautiful moment), it is in the tears of a 12 year old girl who wept silently as she told me how she had found her mother dead and left her to take care of her 5 younger siblings, it is the peace and rest of a neglected and abused child who has never had a belly full of food. I will never be the same, my life of praise has taken on a new ‘look’ if you will. 

Take a minute to thank God, not for the things you HAVE, but for the things you DON’T. For the things that take your breath away, for the things that break your heart, and for the things that have His fingerprints all over them even if it hurts just a little. Maybe it’s time that we take a look at Praise from a new angle, from a different perspective, from the heart of the Father. You’ll notice the sun shines brighter, the grass seems greener, love seems deeper, and the face of the Father is everywhere you look!

Tara

Tara has guest posted for us before on her heart and passion - praise and worship to her heavenly Father.