ACE #397: Praise From the Heart of a Child

This past Sunday, our church was visiting another church.  We knew many of the people there.  Our daughter is very social, so she usually can choose who she wants to sit with wherever we go to visit.  My husband usually sits in the choir, but now he sits in or near the pulpit.  I usually sit at the piano or on the first row at church because I have to be in close proximity to the instrument throughout the service.  The other choir was ministering through song with that old school Walter Hawkins tune, "When the Battle Is Over."  At our church, my sister leads this song.  At this particular church, the pastor lead the song.  

As the choir was singing the song, the congregation was highly engaged - they were singing, clapping, and stomping their feet.  When I turned around to look at our daughter, I saw something in her that I had never seen before.  She had this wide-eyed look with tears in her eyes.  However, I recognized the look.  I directed her to come and sit with me.  I asked her what was wrong and she started to tear up a little more.  

I said, "You got the Holy Ghost, didn't you?" 

She said, "Yes."

I said, "Well, it's okay.  Don't be ashamed to get up and praise God."

She said, "I am ashamed. People will look at me."

I said, "Well, don't be ashamed.  Don't ever be ashamed to let people see you praise God and to let others know you love God."

She said, "Okay."

How many of us adults miss our opportunity to praise God because we are worried about what others will think of us?  The truth be told, nobody should be looking around trying to figure out what someone else is doing during worship anyway.  But the nosey flesh, just can't help itself sometimes...I guess.

But the song exhorts us to "...shout NOW!"  Don't hold back your praise to make someone else comfortable.  If you know that you know that God is just that good, you will let God know.  

Enter into a place so personal and intimate with God, even in a crowded room, that your gratitude and your praise overflow.  Let the praise from your heart flow out of your mouth.  Whether someone else notices or not...God notices. So, praise the Lord anyhow!


Walter Hawkins, "When The Battle Is Over"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHSjW4JKtcU

Psalm 150:1-6 

Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! ...

John 4:23 

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

Psalm 100:2 

Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!

Psalm 150:6 

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!    

Hebrews 13:15 

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name