How do we relate to someone who is always reliable? Do we praise or ignore them? These are questions for each of us as we consider Today’s Holy Nougat.
Psalms 33:4 NIV
[4] For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.
Ever True, Ever Faithful
Within the Rastafarian context, it is common to hear them say of God, actually of their god, Ever living, Ever faithful, Ever true. While I am aware that a lot of their theology is rooted in the Psalms, it has never occurred to me previously that the phrase has biblical roots. Y’shua reminds us in Luke 19:37-40 that if we don’t praise Him, the rocks will do so. While many of us would scoff at Rastafarians, they realise how important praise is to God.
Self-Check
How open are we to publicly affirm God’s faithfulness?
Application
I sincerely doubt that most of us would deny Y’shua’s faithfulness if asked. Yet, as the adage goes, actions speak louder than words. For many of us, our actions suggest that we think otherwise. I know, I know, it stems from being disappointed by God’s decision in the past. That’s when it gets a bit sticky. However, we have to ask ourselves whether a decision outside of our expectations makes God less faithful or God’s word less true.
Because although we sing all God’s promises are ‘Yes’ and ‘Amen, it doesn’t mean that God says yes to all we ask. 2 Corinthians 1:20 actually says that God’s promises are ‘yes’ in Christ, to which we add the ‘Amen’ (Lord, let it be so). That is not quite the same as a blanket yes and amen. Even if it were, God’s Yes in Christ is a response to God’s promises, not to our individual requests.
Our reflection on Christ’s birth serves to validate our Nougat. Prophesies of His birth were proven true years later. Some are yet to be fulfilled. God’s word remains true. That’s why those seers never lost faith in God’s integrity. They understood that God honours God’s Word above God’s name (see Psalm 138:2). It ought to be the same for us, resulting in the increased desire to praise God, and reflected in our actions.
I then hear our Nougat reminding us that the praise song due to God is firstly about God’s God-ness and not about what God has done for us. That invites us to ensure that we are familiar with the attributes of God. Many are offered to us through God’s names. Those will take us a while to complete if done intentionally. In lifting such praise-songs to the Lord, whether in word or deed, we ensure that no rock nor Rasta will out-praise us before our God.
Point to Ponder
Can we try for a 365 praise song – i.e., choosing an attribute of God for inclusion in our daily worship? (This is a suggestion, not compulsory. So I won’t be posting daily).
