Praise to God
Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God. (Luke 18:42–43)
Praise–to speak highly of the greatness and excellence of God–is the natural outflow from a thankful heart. Indeed, not only was the healed, blind beggar praising, but also all those who beheld the miracle.
–Ellen Vaughn
King David gives us the proper perspective on praise:
I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. (Psalm 9:1–2)
Unfortunately, many Christians do not manifest this attitude of gratitude. However, Christians should be the most grateful of all people! Jesus has healed us of our spiritual poverty and darkness. He has empowered us with the precious Holy Spirit, enabling us to live a life worthy of the gospel and allowing us to withstand every attack of the evil one. Jesus has bestowed upon us the gifts of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. We experience these in ever increasing measures as we submit to His working in our lives. He holds out to us abundant life not only in the here and now, but in eternal life as well. Peter tells us:
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9–10)
“God’s purpose in choosing believers for Himself is so that they may declare the praises of Him before others. ‘Praises’ could also be translated ‘eminent qualities,’ ‘excellencies,’ or ‘virtues.” Believer-priests should live so that their heavenly Father’s qualities are evident in their lives. They are to serve as witnesses of the glory and grace of God, who called them out of darkness into His wonderful light.” (Bible Knowledge Commentary)
–Matthew Henry
Jesus said:
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14–16)
“It is too bad that many believers minimize the place of good works in the Christian life. We do not perform good works to get any glory for ourselves, but we do them to glorify His blood given on our behalf.” (Wales Goebel)
Take It to Heart
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Hebrews 13:15–16)
