What Is Praise?

October 22, 2019

DAILY READINGS

Psalm 46
Genesis 45:25-46:7
Acts 5:33-42
This weekend’s scripture: Luke 10:17-24

FIELD NOTES

Psalm 46 is a hymn that praises God for God’s protection and safety:  “The Lord of heavenly forces is with us!  The God of Jacob is our place of safety.”  The verses praise God for protection, strength, leadership, and more. God is with the people through difficult times and will take care of them.  God is powerful and capable and present.  

When we call out to God for help and God answers, how often do we respond with the kind of praise that the Psalmist uses in these verses? I tend to offer a quick thank you and then move on as if God showing up for me was no big deal.  What if I instead turned to offer God praise?  What if an answered prayer became a moment of worship?  I believe that if I spent more time in praise and gratitude, it would bring me closer to God, and it would make me more likely to see God’s handiwork in other aspects of my life.  Perhaps praising God for who God is and the amazing things God does for me would help me focus more on the positive than the negative and would inspire me to share my wonder and praise with others.

QUESTION FOR THE FIELD

1. How do you praise God?
2. What are three things that you could offer God praise for right now?

FAMILY FIELD TALK

1. Read Psalm 46 together and make a list of the different ways the Psalmist describes God.
2. Have each person in your family come up with one thing they could praise God for right now, and then do it!

PRAYER GUIDE

Protector God, you are our strength and our comfort!  Thank you for all the ways that you take care of us!  You are always there for us when we need you!  You are wonderful and loving and worthy of our praise.  Amen.