FAITH CAPSULE: Praising God and giving thanks to God is engaging God.
Psalm 100, Luke 17:11-19
Giving thanks and praising God with understanding is engaging the presence of God. Psalm 100:4 is a confirmation about locating God stating, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” Man that is able to locate the gate of His presence will access His courts. Giving thanks is the pass code that opens gate while praise ushers man to His court.
Are you one that knows (not knows about) God, giving thanks and praises to God with understanding? The Psalmist declares in Psalm 47:7, “For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with understanding” When understanding is applied to God’s Word, there will be a knowing-edge which brings forth undeniable result.
As usual, Jesus was passing through Samaria when ten men who were lepers were in place to encounter Jesus. Luke 17:12-13 recorded, “…there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” Ten lepers lifted their voice and asked just as Jesus commanded in His word that we should ask and it shall be given. Despite the fact that they were far off from Jesus they did not allow distance to deny them from asking healing. Jesus answered their prayers and they were all cleansed from leprosy. He is a God that answers in prayer. Interestingly, after healing only one of the lepers went back to give thanks to Jesus for answered prayer. It is written, “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks…” (Luke 17:15-16) Out of ten lepers one demonstrated what it takes to give acceptable thanks giving. One’s leper understanding made a way to engage the presence of Jesus for his healing.
Jesus responded to one that went back to give thanks, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17: 17-18) Jesus’ response indicates that He is always waiting for us to come back and give thanks at every time He passes through where challenges exist. Perfect healing was engaging the presence of God with thanks giving.
Praising God is engaging the presence of God. Praise brings God to us and us to God. When our soul and our heart becomes the habitation of praising God day and night then we become a dweller in His presence. Praise is a language of faith. If you have praise to offer, you have God. When we praise Him with understanding not as entertainment, it becomes the way of engaging the presence of God.
Prayer for today: Ask for the grace that your soul and heart become a place of praising and thanking God.