Honor the LORD Always and Forever

This morning I was reminded that I am to honor the LORD always and forever. I know, how is it that I even need the reminder. Well, it isn’t so much that I need it to get back to doing so, it is the reminder that honoring the LORD is to never stop.

“⁸And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,

who was and is and is to come!’

⁹And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, ¹⁰the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

‘¹¹Worthy are you, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things,

and by your will they existed and were created.’”

— Revelation 4:8-11 (ESV)

I was led to this passage in my study of the word “honor”. It is titled “The Throne in Heaven”. Where I see the glory of the throne, I also see the honor of the LORD. Reading the passage I was really taken to the creatures and elders continually praising and honoring the LORD. And as written, the LORD lives forever and ever and to go along with that the honor of Him does as well.

I have to take the same look at my worship and honor of the LORD here in this world even before I arrive in heaven at the time appointed by God. Everyday and continually, I am to honor the LORD as the creatures and elders do in the above verses.

The LORD is not He just in my times of grave need. He is there always for me, in times of grave need and in times of joy and celebration. As He is with me always and forever, I will be there to honor Him always and forever. I have to remember to honor Him in the mornings as I do here and all throughout the day. I have to take the moments to praise the LORD in the midday and afternoon and night.

Those who practice the Muslim religion take five times each day to pray. They are dedicated to it and rarely allow the world to get in the way of those prayers. Should I not as a Christian take a similar approach in the honor of the LORD. I should be honoring Him multiple times daily. Maybe to start, I should get on a schedule. I should make it a priority and rarely allow the world to get in the way.

The idea here is not to honor and praise the LORD out of fulfilling some task on a list for the day. I have to get in the habit of honoring and praising the LORD continually, always and forever. When I do, I will find myself in deeper connection with Him and as a result will find more direct answers to my questions and requests. Honor the LORD always and forever.

When are you honoring the LORD? Are you doing so once and moving on? What if you were to take the always and forever approach to honoring the LORD?

Praise for Her Continuous Works

My wife, Lori, is one the hardest working people I know. She took on the role of my wife and proceeded to ensure that I was taken care of. Then we were blessed with two boys thanks to the trust from God that we would steward them in this world, and she stepped up her role, amazing. Next, she has taken on more responsibility as a school teacher and has continued her works impacting the lives of even more children. And, let’s not forget that she is still my wife ensuring that I am taken care of. All of this, she does with only others in mind.

“¹⁰An excellent wife who can find?

She is far more precious than jewels.”

— Proverbs 31:10 (ESV)

Wives and mothers are truly more valuable than anything other than the LORD. I have good ones in both aspects as I started life with a mother who paved the way for Lori. My mother did all she could to steward me and my siblings in this world. And, she worked, what seemed like tirelessly to impact not just us, but others like us in her little corner of the world.

I am blessed to have these two women in my life and know that I would not be the person I am without them. My mother and Lori do the work for God in this world and they do so in full service of Him and those they come in contact with. They are to be praised.

“³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands,

and let her works praise her in the gates.”

— Proverbs 31:31 (ESV)

It is not the one work that makes them who they are, although it can certainly start there. It is the continuous work for others selfishly that makes mothers and wives those to be praised. They are always looking to make the lives of those around them better and are to be praised for that continuous work.

What works make your mother or wife what they are today? Are they given the proper praise for all that they do? What if we lifted them in praise for the continuous works they do in making lives around them better?

Tested by Praise

“²¹The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,

and a man is tested by his praise.”

— Proverbs 27:21 (ESV)

This verse is a bit perplexing. I am tested by my praise. Is that in the giving of praise or receiving and is that to/from others or to/from God? YES

This morning in my study, I had to read the commentary of several versions (as I usually do) and look for more insight as opposed to just reviewing the text. In the commentary of my Christian Standard Bible (CSB) it is that it could mean both receiving and giving of praise. It is all about the heart in each situation. Am I reviewing and evaluating the praise received and then receiving graciously. Is the praise genuine or is it simply words used to manipulate. And the same can be said of the giving of praise. Am I giving praise graciously from the heart or am I trying to manipulate. I am to look more deeply into the praise that is given and received to ensure that it is right, sincere, and from a heart of love.

Who should I give praise and/or receive? That would be God and any and everyone else. I am looking for opportunities to give praise at all times. I have read and believe that if you see something you like, recognize it and you will see more of it. In that I will have to be looking for that which I like and then praise from the heart to ensure that it is cultivated to continue. In the same, I know that God is proud of the work I am doing on His behalf here in this world. I have to open my heart to receive the praise that comes from Him in whatever form it comes.

I am tested by the praise I give and the praise I receive. I have to remember to open my heart. I have to evaluate the praise and that which is sincere and genuine I should accept graciously and give humbly. I have to be sure that even the praise given comes from the heart and not from the lips. All praise NEEDS to come from a place of love. I have to remember that trials in life may be God given and those trials are there to refine me. Even the praise given and received are trials and tests that deepen the hearty relationship with the LORD.

How do you look at praise? Are you looking at praise as though it is deserved? What if you looked more at praise as a test of your heart and gave/received graciously, humbly, and sincerely?