"Impressive Move!"

"That was an impressive move!"  Those were the words of a kindergartener (!) as I began a turn & stopped at the end of my route with my yellow then red school bus lights flashing to let him and his sister off the bus at the very end of my route today.  I said to the sister "He has quite a vocabulary!"  Said she: "He sure does!"

Praise makes me feel good.  Even from a kindergartner!  I do my best to praise the kids on the bus too, like when they put their garbage in the can or are helpful or kind to another child.  That's the "normal" purpose for praise.  It makes the one we praise feel good.

It's different with God.  I'd need to do an exhaustive Bible search to see if there are instances where praise actually is said to make God "feel" anything, but what I see and know is that praise is good for us and for others.

Praising God connects us with the TRUTH!  The truth is that God is GOOD all the time.  We know this because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross.  Every sadness will be taken away by our Lord.  We can rejoice and praise God always no matter what our outward circumstances may be.  This is TRUE and by praising God we are reminded of this fact.  As we are reminded of the truth, we turn even more faith-fully toward our wonderful Father, opening ourselves to his gifts!  That increases our faith and the effectiveness of our prayers.  (It even seems to turn God's "ear" toward us with even more tenderness, but, again, without an search of the scriptures, this is not something I can say with assurance.)

Praising God also serves as a recommendation or "positive review" for God in the eyes and ears of others.  As we raise our voices to God, whether with our literal vocal cords or in other ways (like in writing), we "recommend" God as a good God and raise His esteem in the eyes of others.  When we praise God we give him glory!  We make his reputation SHINE!  God is not visible to sinful human beings so our praise is one of the main ways we witness to him so others will know him better.  Some may come to a saving faith in Jesus when we lift the One True God up in praise.

This has been a very quick little writing and it's not polished up at all, and I've taken no time to even look for Bible verses.  Please respond with any comments as you have them.  Time for me to go wash my bus!

Thanks!

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