Freedom to praise
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed thee. Charles Wesley
Read Exodus 14:30—15:3
One thing may close my mouth. One thing may prevent me from praising God as Israel did. Israel praised God for its deliverance. That is because it knew it never delivered itself. It was too poor, too subject to oppression, too desperate, too feeble. Only God could deliver it. God, one theologian defined as ‘Whoever brought Israel out of Egypt.’ So Israel praised God because God alone was its deliverer. And because there was no other God to be known. And because there was no other way to know him than by what God did for them and through them. So God cannot be known at all if God is not known as Saviour. What if all along I have kidded myself that I am not really that desperate, not so poor, not really feeble? What if secretly I still think I can manage? Manage to support and redeem myself? That would close my mouth. It would soon stop my heartfelt praise. I’d have no one else to praise at all.
Prayer
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
Save in the death of Christ my God;
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.[1]
Lord, by closing the gates of hell you have opened my mouth in praise and thanksgiving. By reducing me from my pride you have glorified me. May my humbled life now be a life of freedom. Let me not be a slave to my own lifestyle. Let me be free to explore your ways.
[1] Isaac Watts