I will praise you among all the people; I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you. The poor will eat and be satisfied. All who seek the Lord will praise him. Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy. The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him. People from every nation will bow down before him. For the Lord is king! He rules all the nations.
Let the rich of the earth feast and worship. Let all mortals – those born to die – bow down in his presence. future generations will also serve him. Our children will hear about the wonders of the Lord. His righteous acts will be told to those yet unborn. They will hear about everything he has done.
Psalm 22:25-31Psalm 22:25-31
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
25 When your people meet, you will fill my heart with your praises, Lord, and everyone will see me keep my promises to you. 26 The poor will eat and be full, and all who worship you will be thankful and live in hope. 27 Everyone on this earth will remember you, Lord . People all over the world will turn and worship you, 28 because you are in control, the ruler of all nations. 29 All who are rich and have more than enough will bow down to you, Lord. Even those who are dying and almost in the grave will come and bow down. 30 In the future, everyone will worship and learn about you, our Lord. 31 People not yet born will be told, “The Lord has saved us!”
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Hebrews declares above all else the worth of Jesus. He is uniquely Lord, uniquely worthy of all our praise and adoration. This is both because of who he is and what he has done. The audience of the book was questioning whether or not following this man was worth the cost. The answer is a resounding, “Yes!”
What makes you shout aloud the greatness of God? Our culture tells us that religion is private, not to be shared, vocalized, brought to attention. But Jesus shared a different worldview. One where religion is public. Not showy or self-involved, but open, vibrant and active. How often do people not respond to Jesus because we have not offered anything worthy of a response?
People who saw Jesus recognized power and authority – even when they were contrary. Jesus didn’t have to tell people he had been with the Father. They knew by his words and his actions. With the Holy Spirit within us, we need to praise what God is doing. We need to share why we follow Jesus. Because if he is not worth the “shame” of putting ourselves out there on a limb, if he is not precious enough to risk our comfort zone, then why follow? I’m telling myself this as much as you! Are we going to praise our God before men like he deserves it, or will we fearfully sulk through each week waiting for a comfortable church setting where we can sing about God’s works? Joyful praise needs to leave the church building and be present in the church throughout the week.
What is it about Jesus that makes you bow before him? Bowing is an act of submission that shows our loyalty and respect. It isn’t about a low self-esteem or feeling inferior. It is about honoring the exalted character and worth of the one we bow before. As we bow we put our lives at the disposal of the king, for his service and pleasure.
Typically, we bow in silence. It isn’t about what we have to say. Bowing isn’t about asking for something, it’s about honoring and listening. I want you to take a couple minutes and sit silently, even bow. Don’t think about your day, your sin, your goals, your needs. Instead, let God remind you how big he is. Rather than asking God whether your plans will work, let God tell you where he is headed. Take some prolonged time – maybe even do it on a regular basis. Placing ourselves quietly before God is something that we need more of in our fast-paced and often chaotic lives.
These two things need to be consistently practiced as we develop spiritually. Joyful praise. Quiet reverence. Both are a challenge as we follow Jesus, one day at a time.
