Why Praise The Lord?

Praise should be for what God has done and for who God is! It's really the strength of the Christ follower. As Christ followers, we're to praise the Lord for our great salvation (1 Peter 1:3-5)! Why have so many Christ followers lost the joy of being saved? Why have so many of us lost our praise and instead walk around sad, depressed, worried, and complaining about the events in our life? How can we again have our joy? It's wonderful to see a newborn Christ follower who wants to share his/her faith with everyone because he/she is overjoyed about what the Lord has done in his/her life. However, I've noticed as many Christ followers "grow up," this joy tends to wane and eventually fade away! I remember the words of King David when he said, "Restore to me the joy of my salvation" (Psalm 51:12). In our text, Peter is writing to Christ followers that are being persecuted for their faith in Christ and have been scattered from their homes in different parts of the Roman Empire. It would seem like this is not the proper response you'd give to those who had lost family members to being persecuted or lost their home or friend! But, Peter begins this letter glorifying and praising God! He says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Peter 1:3). Remember that Peter is teaching Christ followers how to overcome in the midst of that hostility without losing hope. He starts out by telling us to glorify and praise God. Peter does this because he knows that whatever we may lose on this earth is very small to what God has done in our salvation! We need to look at our great salvation and have our joy restored! We have to look at the fact that God has caused us to be born again to a living hope and have our joy restored! Your move. Be encouraged!