Whenever I have a crappy day, human nature takes over. This is when complaining, grumbling, and fault finding takes over. Rather than refocus my thoughts to concentrate on the positive, the blame game commences as I point the finger in every direction except at myself. During my most recent pouting session, God convicted me that I needed to develop an attitude of praise.
Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels on every side of the throne and of the living creatures and the elders [[f]of the heavenly Sanhedrin], and they numbered ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands, 12 Saying in a loud voice, Deserving is the Lamb, Who was sacrificed, to receive all the power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and majesty (glory, splendor) and blessing! – Revelation 5:11-12
Whenever I attend a new church, I feel uneasy about clapping and lifting up my hands in worship unless I know the song. I usually lip sync for a while until I learn and understand the beat and words. When some of the worshippers get carried away and caught up in worshipping God, I often think to myself, “what am I missing?” According to John, I don’t have an attitude of praise.
And I heard every created thing in heaven and on earth and under the earth [in Hades, the place of departed spirits] and on the sea and all that is in it, crying out together, To Him Who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb be ascribed the blessing and the honor and the majesty (glory, splendor) and the power (might and dominion) forever and ever (through the eternities of the eternities)! – Revelation 5:13
Today’s Bible passage provides a glimpse of what an attitude of praise should resemble. The elders sitting in heaven aren’t faking their faith like some may do today. Rather, the residents of heaven are so overwhelmed by the Lamb who was slain on a cross (Jesus), an attitude of praise naturally breaks out. The hard part is developing an attitude of praise outside the church. May this passage challenge you resolve in your heart to develop a biblical attitude of praise.
by Jay Mankus
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