Who Praises You?

To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:6–7)

Today’s big question: who praises you?

There is an immeasurable distance between God and man. As we travel through some of God’s discussion with Job over the next few days, we should be careful to identify this main point throughout the whole discourse. God is God and we are not. We see this in His person, His works, and also how He is to be treated in comparison to His creation.

Job was an upright man with considerable status and wealth. He had a big family, good friends, a good reputation, and property of significant value including land, dwellings, and cattle. He could easily have been the type of person who demanded respect and honor in the community. He could have been a prideful man expecting the praise and adoration of others. However, Job was quite humble, and yet the Lord showed Job that his pool of human pride still required some draining. Even in his humility, Job’s humanity was elevated above where it needed to be to truly appreciate God.

We live with the effect of a sinful nature, and we are so ready to accept praise, coveting respect and honor for ourselves. We too easily forget that all praise and honor belong to God.

While we do achieve some wonderful things in life, we need to understand that even these are only accomplished through God-given talent and strength. Even when we do receive applause or congratulations for a job well done, we have to admit two things. First, God deserves the praise because good work is only possible in Him. Second, no matter how much applause we receive, God deserves far more.

As God revealed to Job, the angels must have been created early enough in the Creation Week that they could marvel as He laid the earth’s foundations. From the visions of Isaiah, Ezekiel, and John, we also get an understanding that the angelic beings are reverent in adoration before the King of kings. What a marvelous thing to ponder.

Whatever good we see in human achievement and whatever accolades we attribute to man are insignificant compared to the adoration God receives from the angels alone. So the next time you are applauded for something, consider directing all that praise to God who alone is worthy. Of which of us would the angelic hosts proclaim, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:3)? Only God deserves this praise. He is God and we are not.

Today’s big idea: God always deserves greater praise.

What to pray: ask God that people might see Him rather than you.