DAILY HOPE DEVOTIONALS: DECEMBER 25 GOD IS EXCITED WHEN EXALTED (2) SCRIPTURE: 1 KINGS 8: 10 – 13; PSALM 147: 11; 2 CORINTHIANS 6: 17

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Yesterday’s devotional pointed out that exalting God means raising Him up to the highest heights. Raising God up to the highest of the heights can be done by lifting Him up in worship, in praises and by extoling His name and deeds to the greatest heights. When you are extoling somebody, you are praising the person very high. We extol God by praising Him higher than all other beings. We extol God in worshipping Him, in lifting Him up in our hearts and oral testimonies, describing His personality above the beings in the heaven and on the earth. God has severally come into the midst of people when He is genuinely and practically worshipped or praised in oneness. The devotional infers to this action as “God being happy. It is possible that this was what happened when He came into the Temple that the Priests and those worshipping Him could not withstand His presence (1 Kings 8: 10 – 13).

Praising God and extoling Him in worship equals to worshipping God in Spirit and in truth. During sincere praises to God, our minds and hearts are spiritually connected to God. Apostle Paul said in 2 Cor. 6: 17 that whoever is joined to the LORD is one in Spirit and as one in Spirit, the Spirit of God comes to dwell in such person’s heart joyfully. Worshipping God in Spirit and in truth means render faithful service to God in absolute truth without pretext trusting Him in everything. This devotional wishes to remind readers again that the Bible said God came down to join people praising Him in Zephaniah 3: 17. There is no controversy to infer that it takes genuine trust to worship God. When we trust God we revere Him and this makes Him to take pleasure in us as said in Psalm 147: 11, that “The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear (revere) Him, in those who hope in His mercy” (Emphasis is mine).

Reading Psalm 147: 11 from New International Version tells readers that those who reverence God in worshipping Him draw His delights upon themselves. The text reads: “The LORD delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.” Christians are to exalt God, praise Him, worship Him and extol Him with total confidence. It is purely hypocritical for anyone singing praises to God absent of placing trust in God. This is referred to as “lip services.” God has never been happy with those extoling or exalting Him with their lips while their hearts are far away from Him (Isa. 29: 13). This devotional concludes that, for our exalting God to make Him rejoice over us, our lifting Him up or raising Him higher to the highest height must come from our hearts in every sense of sincerity. One G.K. Chesterton wrote as quote: “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder”.

PRAYER:

FATHER JEHOVAH, let me find favour in you by making my heart to be with you at any time I am set to praise you, exalt you and raise your name higher and higher above other names in the name of Jesus Christ.

bishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch

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