A Life of Praise - Susan Barclay

I had originally planned on enumerating the many things I have to be thankful for right now, but as I sat down to write this post, I had something of an epiphany. While it's good and important to express my thanks for the ways in which God has blessed me, it's far more valuable to live a life of praise. When I live in such a way, I bless God; I put the attention on Him, which is absolutely where the focus belongs. It truly isn't all about me.

Recently my church has been working through a study of the book One Month to Live: 30 Days to a No Regrets Life by Kerry and Chris Shook. In the book "Readers examine how they can live passionately, love completely, learn humbly, and leave boldly to create a legacy that endures for generations after they're gone" (quote taken from the website). I am coming to understand that such a life is one that points observers to God. For example, when we live passionately, we are less likely to be sidetracked or distracted from our purpose, and are more likely to live out every moment while maintaining self control and setting boundaries. We make the most of every opportunity and are not overtaken by fear and apprehension. We live as children of the light, seeking to make a real difference in the world and to honour Him.

It is easy to give lip service to God and easy to sing praise songs without even thinking about the words that come out of our mouths. It is far more difficult for our actions to reflect our praise and devotion to Him. This is where we must depend on Christ in us; it is He who is to do the living, and I for one am thankful that I am not expected to go it alone. What I need to do, though, and often it's on a minute-by-minute basis, is to keep my thoughts Christ-centred. When I do this, the actions will follow.

I found this song by Casting Crowns that describes what the Life of Praise looks like. Close your eyes and listen to the words. Meditate on them. Write a response.

Let's not be so busy today that we can't take a few minutes to raise our hands to the God of the Nations, Lion of Judah, Rock of the Ages, Alpha and Omega. Let's not give Him lip service only, but through our actions live lives of true praise.


For more of my writing, please visit me at www.susan-barclay.ca