I will confess and praise You [O God] with my whole heart; before the gods will I sing praises to You. Psalms 138:1
Man has always searched for someone or something bigger than himself to add meaning and significance to his life. We were made for divine connection from the moment that God bent over the clay form of Adam to breathe His own spark of life into him. We were made for God, and that desire has worked its way out even when there has been a vaccuum of knowledge of Who He really is.
The history of civilization is peppered with gods that men have made and served with religious exercises, sacrifices, and wars. A god is defined as a higher power, someone or something that has great power, strength, knowledge, and that can affect nature and the lives of people. A man’s god has the ability to control his reality and requires worship in the form of the attention, devotion, and respect of the man who serves it. Years ago, ancient people worshiped gods of rain, harvest, and fertility. They fell down in obeisance to the moon, the sun, stars, statues, and icons. Fear of death, famine, or misfortune caused men to serve what they thought were gods that could make things happen in their lives either for good or evil.
Can I be real with you? I don’t know a lot of people who have idols erected in their backyards these days. That search for something or someone who can add relevance to their lives has shifted to a more subtle form of worship. Today, people give their attention and devotion to other things like careers, political ideologies, and possessions. Others even worship themselves, striving to gratify their desires and seeking pleasure as the highest good. These are the things that people think will make their life better or easier. They pour out their time and energy to serve these gods. All these “little g” gods are exalted in our society through media and easy availability. But at the end of the day, that is all they are–“little g” gods. They will have no value to a man when he stands on the edge of a grave and stares into eternity.
I have lived too long on planet earth to lightly give away my affections and energy to serve a lesser god. I must serve a God Who truly deserves my worship. In my Bible, I read about One Who speaks and creates worlds, spinning them into a cosmic dance as they whirl around suns. He garnishes the heavens with His breath, and His lips drop life into whatever words He utters. Winds obey Him and storms bow before Him. He offers no empty promises, but when I call to Him, He thunders answers that rock my life. He is intimately acquainted with me, knowing even my deepest thoughts, and He loves me anyway. He has sparked new life in my spirit, delivered me from the darkness of depression, healed my emotions and my body, and wrote His love into every corner of my life. And when I step through the door of this life into forever, His hand will be outstretched as He welcomes me to draw close. He is my God.
I choose to stand in the face of every “little g” god that men bow before and declare His Name and His goodness boldly. I refuse to live for anything less than Him. Before the gods, I will sing praises to my God alone. I choose DELIBERATE PRAISE!
Pray with me?
Father, we stand in awe of Who You are! We delight to spend our lives pouring out worship before You. Give us boldness to stand firmly and declare Your greatness and love in a society that does not always want to listen. We will confess and praise You with our whole heart; before the gods will we sing praises to You.
