raabjerg

When praises go up

februar 12th, 2008

This Saturday evening, I attended “House of Praise 2008″. Altogether a good evening, good music, but I don’t quite know how to feel when I hear the phrase used repeatedly: “When praises go up, blessings come down”. I’ve heard it before on the same event last year, and it seems to be a statement embedded in some parts of the Adventist Church culture in the UK.

Somehow, applying this statement would make me feel that I have to offer something to God so that He will bless me. That I have to do something for Him, so that He will do something for me.

If someone can argue this from the Bible, I’m open to looking into it, but for now, it seems conflicting with my understanding of God’s unconditional love. I can see how one could argue it in some form, but the crude statement “when praises go up, blessings come down”, as if God is functioning a bit like a vending-machine puts me off.

On the contrary, I believe we should praise God for what He has done for us, as well as what we know He will do for us, but not because we expect our praises to bring about this act of God. Yes, we should stay attuned to God, yes we should focus on our relationship with Him, yes, God is pleased with our praises, and yes, God loves to bless us, but really – if we praise to get, I believe we have missed the point.

P.S. I feel I’ve been getting a tad critical lately, so please don’t misunderstand me – it was all in all a good evening with lots of sincere people offering their praises

Entry Filed under: Newbold,Theology