Be not silent, O God of my praise!
This is David’s plea in the first line of Psalm 109. “God of my praise.” There’s a significant difference between that sentiment and:
- God of my whims, as if the LORD were a wish-granting genie in a bottle
- God of my wants, as if the Almighty were a cosmic vending-machine
- God of my needs, as if the Everlasting Father were simply an ambulance to be called when I’m in over my head
- God of my demands, as if I AM could be summoned like a divine butler
Does God want to hear from us? Absolutely. Is he capable of intervening on our behalf? Most certainly. Is he willing and able to save us? Without a doubt.
But he desires and deserves to be the object of our daily adoration, not simply a worst-case-scenario SOS button when we don’t know what else to do. Don’t treat him as your last resort. Don’t seek a “relationship” with him in your time, on your terms. Walk with him day by day. Serve him day in and day out. Present yourself as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to him as “the God of my praise.”
With my mouth I will give great thanks to the LORD;
I will praise him in the midst of the throng.
For he stands at the right hand of the needy one… (109:30-31)
Honor him as “the God of my praise” and he’ll take care of the rest.