When Are You Praising God

This morning I began to study the word “praise” and I began in Exodus just after the parting of the Red Sea. God had delivered the Israelite people from the hand of Pharaoh, drowning them in the sea after making it possible for Moses and the people to cross on dry ground. The people then sang praise to the LORD.

“¹Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying, ‘I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. ²The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.’” — Exodus 15:1-2 (ESV)

This was certainly a time to sing praise to God for the work He had done. But, it got me to thinking of the times when I sing praise to God. I have written in the margin of my bible the following: “Praise Salvation always, not just when delivered from the big things.” What a reminder to not only praise God and His Salvation when big things are done, but always, even when things seem insignificant. When they may go unnoticed.

I have to remember to be on the lookout at all times for those things that are praiseworthy of God. Really, on the lookout is not really needed as all things are praiseworthy of God. But I think what I mean here is that I have to be always praising God. All of me and all of my time and all of what I am and will be are praiseworthy of God. I am not to just praise Him when there is a significant victory where it may have been in question, that is the natural and expected time to praise Him. It is in those times we take for granted that I have to remember as well. The car started this morning, the rain came to water the grass, there was electricity which allowed me to post my blog this morning, I have the time in the morning to study God’s word. All of these may sound insignificant, but they all are praiseworthy of God for allowing them to happen.

I find myself praising God when the powerful things happen that all can see. But what about the little things. What about those things that led up to the big powerful things. All of life is granted by God and therefor should be praised.

When are you praising God? Are you praising Him in the big things, or all things? What if you just heaped praise on Him for all things, even those that lead up to the big things?