It might be shocking to know that praising someone other than ourselves, doesn’t come naturally. It is our tendency to be selfish and naturally focus on inward praise. Whatever we do in the flesh, we do for self gratification. Whatever we utter in the flesh, we say to build ourselves up. And when we think in the flesh, we are simply devising plans to promote ourselves and our own “well-being.” Because we have been born into a selfish world, we naturally follow that selfishness.
That is why it is so difficult for people to grasp the need for God. God calls us to die to ourselves. Jesus’ calling for us is to take up the cross and to follow Him. Everything God is asking us to do goes against every grain of our natural being. Our flesh is telling us to be selfish, while God is asking us to be exactly the opposite. And therein, lies the dilemma every human being faces. Like Pharaoh, we all naturally harden our hearts and dismiss God.
And that is exactly the reason why we need to be Born Again! Without that rebirth, there can’t be the new life. If we continue to live our old lives, we will continue to make ourselves the center of our own existence. In 1632 Galilei claimed that the Sun was the center of our solar system, while the rest of the world claimed that it was the Earth. Our old lives also claim to make us, the center of everything. But in 1725, James Bradley discovered that Galilei was correct. When we are born again, our world changes and we realise that the Son must take center stage in everything.
When that happens, our praise belongs to God alone, because He is the only One worthy of all praise. Even when things seem to be going crazy around us, we will praise Him. That can only happen when we realise who He is, and we recognise the price Jesus paid on the cross for us. So practice that praise, and give God all the glory.
Mark Davidson
