Our culture places great emphasis on clothing. Magazines and television shows are dedicated to describing the latest fashions. Consumers spend countless dollars on designer labels. Our closets are overflowing, yet we claim to have nothing to wear. We follow every clothing trend in the hopes of finding self-worth in our appearance. Instead of viewing clothing as a covering, we view it as a status symbol. Yet there is a garment that is more valuable than a high fashion suit and more precious than a wedding gown. This garment is a gift from God: the garment of praise.
Nobody can do our praising for us; we must do our own praising.
The Scriptures refer to praise as a garment. God gives us "a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair" (Isaiah 61:3). Yet a garment is something that we must choose to wear. Even a garment that is freely given to us must be put on and worn. When we receive the garment of praise upon salvation, we must choose to daily wear it in order to use it most effectively. How many of us have placed our garments of praise in a closet or drawer?
Nobody can do our praising for us; we must do our own praising. We must make our own commitments to worship and adore God every day. God provides us with countless reasons to praise Him, yet we must be the ones who speak the words. God gives us the garment of praise, but we must choose to wear it.
Prayer: Father, forgive me for putting my garment of praise in the closet. Help me to remember to choose to put on the garment of praise. Thank You for the gift of my garment of praise! I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
"Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever" (Psalm 145:2).
Learn more in Dr. Michael Youssef's sermon Empowered by Praise, Part 1: LISTEN NOW
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