How many times does the Bible advise us to praise God? To worship Him? To bow down to Him? To recognize His glory and majesty?
Answer: Over and over and over. I don’t have a number, but it is a common refrain in God’s Word.
Have you ever met anyone who took this fact and accused God of being an egomaniac? Not recognizing that He legitimately deserves our praise, worship, and honor, they probably liken Him to some pompous little executive they know and, thus, they brand God an egotist.
Let’s examine this indictment against God.
Fable of the Ants
Imagine that you are an ant whisperer. Not just a whisperer, but almost magical in your ability to communicate with ants.
One day, you’re strolling along a river bank, and you notice a new colony of ants building their nest. The place they have chosen is far enough from the river to be out of the way of hikers who might wreck their new home, but close enough for them to benefit from any food scraps picnickers might leave behind. This little colony of ants is very proud of the new compound they are constructing.
But you’re worried. “Hey guys,” you say to them. “You should move your nest further up the hill. Look, there’s a nice row of solid boulders. If you build your home downhill of them, the rocks will protect you from gully washers. And you’ll be high enough that a flood won’t reach you when the river overflows.”
The ants frown and respond with such comments as: “Busy body!” “Know-it-all.” “Who does she think she is?” “She’s pretty full of herself!” “What an egomaniac!”
And they go on about their work.
Time passes. The den is completed with labyrinthine tunnels and luscious supplies of food. The ants are rejoicing.
And then, a monsoon-like rainstorm hits the area. Niagara floods down upon the little ant colony. The river rises, overflows its banks and fills the tunnels with gallons of water.
When the sun finally shows its face again, the whole nest is gone, and most of the ants are dead. Those who remain, drag themselves up the hill and build their new nest under the safety of the boulders, high enough above the river to escape flood waters.
So What?
I hate to break it to the God-bashers, but God gets less benefit from our praise and worship than you would get if whole colonies of ants bowed down and worshiped you. In other words, God is even more superior to us than we are to the ants. Our praise is to Him as water off a duck’s back. It doesn’t help Him get a promotion. He can’t take it to the bank. Our praise and worship don’t increase His value in any way.
Then why does God insist that we praise and worship Him?
Well, let’s go back to our ant colony. Did you advise the ants to move their home because you’re an egomaniac? Because you’re a control freak?
Of course not. You gave them this wise counsel because you like ants. You wanted to help them.
Why Worship God?
God is both wiser and more loving than any ant whisperer. He instructs us to worship Him for our own good. Here are three self-serving reasons for us to worship God:
1 Our natural tendency is to focus on, even worship, ourselves. Few acts are more ruinous to a person’s character and happiness than self-aggrandizement.
2 Another tendency is to worship false gods – these might include entertainers, sports figures, money, addictive substances, etc. Even if false gods are of noble character, they will be fallible. Their leadership is not trustworthy. And, worst of all, they cannot offer an eternal life of beauty and joy.
3 People’s worlds are shaped by their worship. They focus on and model themselves after their beloved. Therefore, our wisest course is to worship the Creator who made us and, therefore, knows how to direct us into lives that are safe, joyous, and productive. God and God alone can provide both an abundant life on Earth and eternal life in Heaven.
“Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” Psalm 29:2, KJV
In case you’re interested, here’s a link to a website in which Pastor Rick Warren discusses seven more self-serving reasons for praising God: 7 Benefits of Praising God.
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Here are links to my blog indexes, which will make it quick and easy for you to find another post to read.
Blog Index – Lists blogs 1-35.
Blog Index 2 – Lists blogs 36 to the latest post.