Day 107.
Save us, O Lord our God,
and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise. (Psalm 106:47)
Last night at our session meeting, one of our elders led us in a devotional using Psalm 106 and invited us to take time to give thanks to God as a way of practical application. It was an encouraging time (Thanks Kent!). As we looked at this verse I was struck by the phrase “glory in your praise.” How do you glory in the praise of God?
I have a good friend who graduated from the University of Texas and is a big Longhorn fan. This gives us reason to debate with each other over whose school’s football team is better (I am a University of Oklahoma grad). One year we decided to watch the OU-Texas game together and after every score by the Sooners I cheered and hooted. Though I knew it wasn’t going to happen, I wanted him to forsake his team and cheer for mine, or at least admit mine was better. Why do we do that?
The other day I was in the grocery store wearing a Sooner shirt and heard someone say as they passed, “boomer Sooner!” I immediately looked around to find out who it was, smiled, and said the same thing back. Though I didn’t know the person, their praise for my team gave me a sense of pride. I found that I gloried in my team’s praise. Why do we do that?
We do that when we identify and have a real connection with the one being praised. When the one with whom you are connected is honored or praised, you feel it; you glory in it. This is the case for the Psalmist. He glories when others praise his God! His identity and worth are bound up in God who saves him.
We know more about this great salvation because Jesus came to accomplish it. Our identity, as Christians, is therefore wrapped in Jesus. Do you glory in His praise? This will tell you the degree to which you identify yourself with Him. Let us glory in the praise of Jesus, and let us seek that glory from the whole world’s praise of Him! Like my attempt to recruit others to cheer for my team, or at least admit their superiority, let’s “recruit” others to “cheer” for Jesus as we let our lives point to His greatness.
Lord, help us to see our lives bound up with Jesus so that we truly do derive glory from His praise.
