The Value of Praising and Thanking God for Victories
At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with giving thanks, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps. — Nehemiah 12:27
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. — 1 Corinthians 15:57
Author
Faustino de Jesús Zamora Vargas
Summary: Praise and gratitude are essential to our Christian life. I have experienced God’s restoration in my own life, and that work is still in progress. I gratefully dedicate what has been rebuilt to him: the victories are his, not ours. As at the dedication of Jerusalem’s walls, we must first acknowledge our ruins, humble ourselves, and turn to God; then we can consecrate what has been restored to him in sincere worship. Let us examine the breaches in our spiritual lives, trust Christ to rebuild them, and dedicate what he restores to the work of his Kingdom. Let us remember his blessings and praise him for his faithfulness, grace, and redemptive work.
We need to praise God. It is in our spiritual DNA; we cannot help it. The Christian life would make no sense without praise and worship. We must praise Him at all times with thanksgiving.
Whenever I hear the hymn “Praise God,” I cry like a child. I cannot help it; my heart overflows with gratitude for what He has done in my life. I know the same thing happens to you when you hear it. I have had my deepest spiritual experiences in worship. That lump in my throat and that desire to shout, “Thank You, Lord!” do not come from empty emotions but from the work of the Spirit.
Some years ago, I began to “rebuild my walls,” which were broken and full of breaches. The vices of the world were consuming me; spiritual blindness tormented me. I could never have begun rebuilding my ruined walls if the Lord, the living God, had not reached me. Today I dedicate the rebuilt wall of my life—still in the process of being strengthened—to the Lord who bathed me in His grace and mercy. I try to do so with praise and gratitude. First we must rebuild what lies in ruins, and only after restoring and raising up what has fallen can we dedicate it—consecrate it—to the Lord with gratitude. Give Him thanks for your victories in His name! They are His, not yours.
Nehemiah did it that way. The walls of Jerusalem had been restored, but the hearts of the people first needed to humble themselves and return to God. Only then is worship a fragrant offering to the Lord. The psalmist said it clearly: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a contrite and humbled heart, O God, You will not despise” (Ps. 51:17). The joy of the Lord comes with gratitude and our praise as we acknowledge, with a broken spirit, all that He has done for us, for our families, through His provision, His goodness and His grace. Psalm 103 also inspires us in this way: “Praise the Lord, my soul; let all my being praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget none of His benefits” (Ps. 103:1–2). The worship service Nehemiah convened (Nehemiah 12) was a joyful celebration of the great things God had enabled them to do. Now they were spiritually ready to dedicate the rebuilt walls of Jerusalem to God their Maker, with praise and thanksgiving. There were two acts of worship: songs and offerings.
Beloved sisters and brothers, let us examine our walls and our spiritual lives carefully. Do they have breaches and holes you cannot close? Trust in God; humble yourself before Him. Praise Him and thank Him for His faithfulness and love. Rebuild those walls in the Name above every name, Christ, the firm and unshakable rock, and… dedicate them to Him as Nehemiah did; consecrate them to the precious work of the Kingdom. The ruined world, darkened by evil and sin, praises the people in whom it places its trust and rests its hopes. Christ is our victory. There are so many reasons to praise Him, to celebrate His redeeming work in the heart and mind of each one of us. “…As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow before Me, and every tongue shall praise God” (Rom. 14:11).
God bless you!
Suggested reading: Nehemiah 12, verses 27, 30 and 43.