When I was five years old, I would have trouble sleeping at night. Even with a good night-light going, I sometimes felt fear in the still and silence around me.
After I’d used up all my free nightly glass of water tickets, I still found myself lying there, eyes open and mind wandering, worried about getting to sleep.
One night my imagination brought me Superman. He was the best hero I could possibly think of and the comfort of imagining him keeping watch in the room, just for me, gave me an amazing feeling that carried me to sleep. As goofy a memory as that is, I’ve begun to see it differently over the years.
As I’ve experienced God’s goodness, I wonder if that was Jesus loving me in a form my five-year-old mind could understand. Could the unpredictable, unfathomable expanse of God’s heart for us include Him being Christopher Reeve to a kid who can’t sleep? Ha! I won’t put Him in a box!
It seems to be a human tendency to assign greatness in our world. I think the attraction to the greatest reflects a need that cries out from a deeper place. The way I felt peace and protection as a child was to think of the ultimate hero, the unbeatable one who could slay all evil that tried to touch me.
One Sunday, during praise and worship, the congregation was encouraged to give our “greatest praise.” That struck me –what does that mean, really, a “greatest praise?” Does it look a certain way? Here we are, everyone in varying mental and emotional conditions and different circumstances, what does a “greatest praise” look like for someone who has little to nothing left to give?
I thought about my own moments wrapped up in the Spirit as I worshipped and this visual came to me. “Sometimes my greatest praise pours from my eyes.” I love the different ways we can lift up the name of Jesus–dancing, singing, raising our hands, yelling it out–those are certainly ways to give God our greatest. There are also times of release–where we just rest, let the tears flow, and lean into His arms. My prayer and passion is to see people, no matter where we come from, free to give our greatest in worship. To watch the Holy Spirit show us His majesty until it’s all that matters in the moment. That was the inspiration that began the song “Our Greatest Praise.”
When I think of intimacy with God in worship, I start with the grandest–the grandest feeling, the grandest beauty. I go to a space where my imagination and the deepest possible part of my soul echo in tandem and I invite the Holy Spirit into it. It’s a secret place, a place that must remain pure through the darkness and sludge we sometimes must travel through in this world. A place where my hope is buried, and only the Son can shine on it for it to grow.
When I meet people in life, talking and sharing our stories, I feel the same longing from them, for a place to be free. No agendas. No insecurities. No chaos. Just rest. Just lavish beauty. Protection. I feel that if it’s a longing in anyone’s heart at any given time, it’s a call to draw near to something–someone–that is the one source of it. Jesus calls to us. He’s so loving!
The noise of every day deafens what we long to hear, what we need to be spoken into us and over us. Woundedness is real and we all carry around things that are heavy and trip us up. The enemy is constantly trying to distort how we hear God’s voice and convince us that He’s far away. Worship and praise, from our hearts to our minds to our mouths, is one way to defy that lie and receive life through the voice of truth.
Praise is faith in the release, truth in expression. We’ve waxed philosophical about God through the day. All week, we’ve battled through and carried one another’s burdens. In praise, we can route the energy of our wonder and admiration for Him, to Him, in a stand and declaration of His greatness. We can celebrate that we have a good God, our hero who holds both our present and future, right now, in His hands, unmatched and incomparable.
Intimacy with God is found in our greatest praise to Him. Praise is not limited to a location or time. This can be in your car, in a moment at home where you do a little hallelujah jump (haha), a quiet cry from your heart at work. These personal times can also prepare us to assemble as a congregation, tuned in to the Holy Spirit, sharing in the power of drawing near to Jesus.
I’ve found a few things that help to open up our channels to hear and feel His nearness. Assembling at church has been an important staple in my walk of faith, so this list is framed around that. However, it’s good to be mindful of living these out anywhere, at any time.
– Come with honesty. When I’m struggling, I sometimes tell God that I don’t know how to praise Him. I don’t know how I will get up in the morning and stand before people and sing of His goodness. I tell Him I don’t know how and I kinda don’t want to. At that point I have a decision to make–has He changed in being God? If that is a no, then by His nature alone, He is worthy of my worship. I know no greater than Him. I gotta give it to Him. It’s His.
– Come with remembrance. All the delightful things that happen in the day come from a loving Father. The way God saved your life. How He’s brought You so far, to this moment. You’re not the same person you used to be because of His daily hand in your life. It’s enough to produce a “Thank You,” isn’t it?
“Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap…”~Psalms 113:5
– Come with expectation. That God will be glorified and you will be doing what you’re made to do. Your praise will push against darkness and the unseen things. You are in a fellowship with other raised voices, discovering and living out your kingdom privilege of the presence of our undefeated King.
– Come with determination. Determination to show up. Determination that your voice of praise, powered by the Holy Spirit, will be louder than all the other noise that has filled up your world.
– Come with an attitude of victory–no matter what emotions you’re wrestling with. It could be a quiet victory. It could be a resounding triumph. Whatever state you’re in, it’s the moment to put a raw voice to your faith. Even if it’s that of a mustard seed. Don’t worry about what will happen next. Be present for the victory right now in your praise.
“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.”~Psalms 145:3
The best concert you’ll ever see or the best game you’ve ever attended–greatness is there. Albeit dim in comparison, let it point you to the Source. Through your praise, invite Him into the wonder and longing you feel. As we look to the heights, we will find The One, so high above us, we can’t explain Him. We will find Him because we have been found by Him.
Recent Comments