WORTHY OF LOVE AND PRAISE
     Just how great is your God?  I don't ask that with the implication that there may be more than one, but in your personal relationship, just how great is your God?  We know He is the creator of the universe.  We know He is the giver of life.  And we acknowledge He is the fount of all blessings.  With all of that knowledge, the question still remains, how great is your God?
     A song that used to be sung quite often is "Worthy Art Thou."  The last two lines of that song's chorus are, "Worthy of earth and heaven's thanksgiving, Worthy art Thou, Worthy art Thou."  The rest of the words relate His greatness and why he is worthy of our praise and admiration, not to mention our worship.  I often wonder if we really comprehend the privilege we have of entering into God's presence, and the love He has for us.
     When we ask why our God is worthy of our love and praise, we must begin with acknowledging what He has done for us.  This is going to get us to focus on forgiveness.  When we fully realize the forgiveness we have received from God, or can receive from Him, it will help us to understand just how much He loves us.  The basis of our relationship with God is based on love.  His love for us and our response to Him by showing our love for Him in the lives we live for Him.
     This is brought out in Psalm 99.  The beginning verses of this psalm speak of the exalted position of our God, and that He is worthy to be praised.  The last several verses give to us explanation through the lives of three men we hold in high esteem.  They are Moses, Aaron and Samuel.  We are told in verse 6 they called upon the Lord.and the Lord answered them.  God spoke to them in various ways because they kept His testimonies.
     But the reason of God's love for them and their love for God is brought out in verse 8.  We are told that God was a forgiving God to them, yet an avenger of their evil deeds.  Even though they were faithful men, they were not perfect men.  When they sinned against God they were disciplined for their wrong, but the Lord never stopped loving them.  And they never stopped loving Him. 
     The psalm closes with the exhortation to, "Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His holy hill; For holy is the Lord our God," (vs. 9; NASB).  What we can learn from this psalm is very valuable and uplifting.  First, those so-called great people of the Bible are no different than we are; they sinned too.  Secondly, when we sin our God loves us enough to correct us, to help strengthen us against the temptations of life and to know that He is there to help us.  Thirdly, He does hear us and will give answer to our prayers, but desires we will be faithful to Him in obedience to His word.  The key here is that they kept His testimonies and statutes, though they somethings fell short, as we do today.  Fourthly, love is the key.  God has proven His love for us.  We show our love for Him in giving ourselves to His teaching and growing in our knowledge of Him.  This will lead to more fully understand why He is worthy of our love and our praise.  No one is as forgiving and longsuffering as He.
     I hope and pray God is worthy of your love and praise.  Let Him know that everyday and you will be greatly blessed.  Rodger