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Christians are called to praise the Lord. Why? What is that all about? And just what does it "accomplish?
Recent Entries
Theological SteakApril 10, 2012
These words by P. T. Forsythe on the magnificence of Christ's work are to theology what Ruth's Chris is to a good steak.
Describing the Indescribable
February 11, 2012
What we have in Christ will take all eternity to describe. But for one segment of one sermon, a great preacher made a mighty attempt.
Making Sense Of It All
January 30, 2012
Where are things headed? Is there rhyme and reason to the endless cycle of summer, fall, winter and spring? Is there a plan in place, or is randomness the explanation?
Suffering Saints
January 25, 2012
We get nervous thinking about it - suffering for the sake of Christ. How necessary is it, and what does it produce in us?
George Herbert on Prayer Meetings
January 21, 2012
Prayer Meetings are a thing of the past. Or so it seems. What has been lost? Maybe more than we realize.
When Fear Is Good
January 7, 2012
NO FEAR, we are told. And the point is well taken. But fear can be healthy, at least when it comes to eternal matters.
Happy, Happy, Happy
January 4, 2012
The declaration of independence holds up the pursuit of happiness as a right. Did you ever consider the reading the bible might be the one source that will never let you down?
C.S. Lewis On Praise
September 27, 2008
In discussing a great work of art, C. S. Lewis argues for the response of admiration as wholly appropriate and expected. The picture doesn’t so much “deserve” or “demand” admiration. It is just that if we refuse to become caught up in the beauty of what we are observing, we are “stupid, insensible, and great losers, and we shall have missed something.
“God is that object to admire, which, is simply to be awake, to have entered the real world; not to appreciate which is to have lost the greatest experience, and in the end to have lost all. The incomplete and crippled lives of those who are tone deaf, have never been in love, never known true friendship, never cared for a good book, never enjoyed the feel of the morning air on their cheeks, never enjoyed football (I am one of these!), are faint images of it.”
“The miserable idea that God should in any sense need, or crave for, our worship like a vain woman wanting compliments, or a vain author presenting his new books to people who never met or heard of him, is implicitly answered by the words ‘If I be hungry, I will not tell you.’ (Psalm 50:12) Even if such an absurd deity could be conceived, He would hardly come to us, the lowest of rational creatures, to gratify his appetite. I don’t want my dog to bark approval of my books.”
“The world rings with praise. Lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favorite poet, walkers praising the countryside, players praising their favorite game, praise of weather, wines, dishes, actors, motors, horses, colleges, countries, historical personages, children, flowers, mountains, rare stamps, even sometimes politicians or scholars.
I had not noticed how the humblest and at the same time most balanced and capacious minds (essentially minds with lots of hard drive space) praised most, while the cranks, misfits and malcontents praised least. Praise almost seems to be inner health made audible. I had not noticed either that just as men praise spontaneously what they value, so they spontaneously urge us to join them in praise. Isn’t she lovely? Wasn’t that glorious? Don’t you think that magnificent? I think we delight to praise what we enjoy, because the praise not merely expresses, but completes the enjoyment.” C. S. Lewis
“God is that object to admire, which, is simply to be awake, to have entered the real world; not to appreciate which is to have lost the greatest experience, and in the end to have lost all. The incomplete and crippled lives of those who are tone deaf, have never been in love, never known true friendship, never cared for a good book, never enjoyed the feel of the morning air on their cheeks, never enjoyed football (I am one of these!), are faint images of it.”
“The miserable idea that God should in any sense need, or crave for, our worship like a vain woman wanting compliments, or a vain author presenting his new books to people who never met or heard of him, is implicitly answered by the words ‘If I be hungry, I will not tell you.’ (Psalm 50:12) Even if such an absurd deity could be conceived, He would hardly come to us, the lowest of rational creatures, to gratify his appetite. I don’t want my dog to bark approval of my books.”
“The world rings with praise. Lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favorite poet, walkers praising the countryside, players praising their favorite game, praise of weather, wines, dishes, actors, motors, horses, colleges, countries, historical personages, children, flowers, mountains, rare stamps, even sometimes politicians or scholars.
I had not noticed how the humblest and at the same time most balanced and capacious minds (essentially minds with lots of hard drive space) praised most, while the cranks, misfits and malcontents praised least. Praise almost seems to be inner health made audible. I had not noticed either that just as men praise spontaneously what they value, so they spontaneously urge us to join them in praise. Isn’t she lovely? Wasn’t that glorious? Don’t you think that magnificent? I think we delight to praise what we enjoy, because the praise not merely expresses, but completes the enjoyment.” C. S. Lewis
