Read: Psalm 105:1-7
Why do we celebrate?
Truth be told, we have all kinds of reasons to throw a party. We celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, graduations, retirements, housewarmings and soon-to-be-born babies. People have parties for Halloween, for Christmas, for the Super Bowl, and even the Kentucky Derby (well, they do in Louisville, anyway). We’ve gotten so good at throwing parties that we’ve even decided to throw pre-parties and after-parties to help the fun last that much longer. We just need a reason to celebrate.
But, have you ever thought about how temporary our causes for celebration can be? The joy of owning a new house quickly gives way to the stresses of home repair and maintenance. Eventually, the excitement and fun of a baby shower dissipates in the face of dirty diapers and middle of the night feedings. The graduation party ends and it’s either time to start thinking about going to college or finally getting a real job. Though Christmas will soon be here, it will be over before we know it. Every single occasion we celebrate eventually comes to an end. As much as we like to celebrate, our parties never seem to last.
If we really want to party, then, it would seem as though we need something permanent to celebrate. We have to find something that will never end, something that will never, ever change on us. In short, we need something (or perhaps even Someone) eternal.
Thankfully, the Bible tells us we have that in our God. After all, He is everlasting. He has no end; He never changes. He is the only permanent fixture in a world filled with the temporary. If we’re looking for something enduring to celebrate, He is the only One who fits the bill. He alone is the cause for eternal celebration.
A quick trip through the Psalms solidifies this point. A book comprised almost completely of worship songs, the book of Psalms says a lot about how we should celebrate our God. More than that, Psalms says a lot about why we should celebrate Him. Each song of praise confronts us with reason after reason as to why God deserves all our celebration. Psalm 105, for example, reminds us of God’s mighty works on our behalf. For starters, He created all life on this planet. The glory of this creation speaks to His power and might. Yet, He didn’t create this world and walk away from it. As the psalmist reminds us, He continues to be involved with it to this day. He continues to perform miracles and to show His glory and strength throughout this entire earth. When we see what God has done – and what He continues to do – in this creation, we can’t help but praise Him.
Yet, this is far from the only reason to praise our God. Psalm after psalm gives us reason after reason to celebrate all He’s done for us. A couple of my favorites include:
Psalm 136 (NLT): “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to Him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to Him who made the heavens so skillfully. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to Him who placed the earth on the water. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to Him who made the heavenly lights – His faithful love endures forever… Give thanks to the God of Heaven. His faithful love endures forever.”
Psalm 145: “I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom… The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made. All you have made will praise you, O Lord; your saints will extol you… My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise His holy name for ever and ever.”
Psalm 103:1-5: “Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
When we consider who God is and all He’s done for us, we have no choice but the celebrate Him. His love, His compassion, His grace, His strength, His faithfulness, His holiness – all of these things give us plenty of reason to party. Those looking for a real reason to celebrate – both now and for the rest of eternity – need only look to Him.
Questions to Consider:
In your mind, what’s our greatest reason to praise God? Why?
Read Hebrews 13:8. Why can we praise God for these same characteristics today?