Because of Who You Are

We honor and praise people for their accomplishments.  A team wins the Super Bowl, and they get a parade in their honor.  Perform well on the job, and you'll get a raise or possibly a promotion.  Working in the Honors College, I am surrounded by high-ability students with some rather lofty accomplishments under their belts.  You can say a student's name and others in the room will say, "Oh, guess where she spent last semester abroad doing research!" or "Did you hear he's having to decide between four top medical schools?"  We speak of them with pride because they're "one of ours," and we esteem them for what they've done.

Character alone usually doesn't cut it for a person to receive praise.  We require fine character traits be put to use before we extend kudos.  Record a CD, win an award, win a competition, graduate with honors...whatever it is, you have to do something if you want recognition. Unfortunately, we also apply this type of thinking when it comes to praising our Creator.  All too often, He has to put something in to get something out of us.  More often than not, the impetus of our praise springs from His having done something for us -- kept us out of an accident, blessed us financially, healed an ailing friend/loved one, etc.  Throughout Scripture, we're reminded of God's promises to us (e.g., to give us rest, to supply all our need, to be our refuge and strength, to give us eternal life).  But is this our only reason for praise?

Repeatedly in the Old Testament, God had to remind the people of Israel, "I am the LORD."  One source says He told this to the Israelites more than 130 times!  He wanted the people to know Him.  Throughout Exodus, He works to establish a relationship with the people so that in knowing Him, they couldn't help but to praise Him.  For knowing Him leads to praising Him; it's a natural correlation.  And so it must be with us.  Our praise cannot be contingent upon what He's done for us, but we should praise Him just for who He is, who He's been to us, and who He's promised to be.

Lord, I praise You because of who You are

Not just for all the mighty things that You have done

Lord, I worship You because of who You are

You're all the reason that I need to voice my praise

Because of who You are

 (Billy Smiley, Bob Farrell)