Day 35: Praising Church

Daily Devotional

Psalm 103:1-5

1 “Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and all that is within me,
    bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
    who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.”

“Bless the LORD, O my soul.” David, the one who wrote this psalm, urges himself to praise God by saying those words. He wants to shake off the spiritual dryness and sluggishness that he feels toward God. It is as if he is telling himself, “What am I waiting for? How could I not praise him? How could I not lift up my hands to the God who loves me?” Praise is one of the sure ways to reignite your heart for God. And so, as if he is forcing himself to do so, David devotes every fiber in his body and soul to praise God. How does he wrestle with this lack of desire to praise God? He deliberately thinks about who God is and what he has done.
That is what praise is about. Praise involves conscious consideration of God’s character and actions. And we are to praise him, even, or rather, especially when we lack the desire because he is still the same awesome God. He deserves our praise. So, praise him with all of your heart. Plunge yourself into the depths of God’s wonderful truth and think about who he is and what he has done for you. Think about his amazing love for you. Think about how he took your place on the cross. Think about how he will return to bring you into his everlasting kingdom. “Bless the LORD, O my soul!”

Weekly Application

As part of a praising church, make it a priority to offer your genuine praise and worship to God every day of this week. Be intentional in finding ways to express your gratitude and adoration towards God, whether it’s through singing, praying, or sharing your testimony of His goodness. As you do this, may there be high expectation that the atmosphere to praise will draw you closer to God and lift up the people around you. This week, challenge yourself to praise God in at least one new way each day. It could be as simple as thanking Him for the beauty of nature, or as bold as sharing your faith with someone who doesn’t know Him yet. Let us become a praising church that brings hope to the world around us and a glory to God above.