He is your praise.

"20 Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. 21 He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes." Deut. 10:20-21

This verse blew me away. You know what was great about the Israelites? God loved them and chose them to be his. That's about it. Notice I didn't mention anything they did? For so long I've wanted recognition for my various abilities--music, guitar, songwriting, sports, etc. Through Christ, God chose everybody to be his, and that includes me, and not because of any of my great abilities.

This verse puts things in perspective. When I'm loving God with all that I am, all else fades away. Soon I don't care if I'm recognized for my abilities. My wants become his wants. My will becomes his will. To live is Christ, to die is gain, and people start noticing.

Soon, when people think of me they think of God. When I play guitar people think about God. When I help someone push their broke-down car off the road they think of God. When I write a song people think about God. When I clean my house to serve my wife people think about God. As I try to bring praise to God in everything I do God becomes my praise.

I'm waiting for the day when I do something and someone looks at me and says "you truly are a child of God." What greater praise could be given? This type of praise is not given for any of my great abilities (i.e. face-melting guitar solo [note: I doubt anyone ever told Steve Vai 'you truly are a child of God' after one of his concerts]). No, this type of praise is usually given after a menial service or favor administered with much love. No wonder Jesus did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but took on the nature of a servant.

Followers of Christ: He is your praise.
APK