Intentional Praise: A New Year’s Resolution that Counts
By Rev. Monica C. Jones, Ph.D., Contributing Writer
Psalm 92:1-2 says, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night.” In our Biblestudy session during Advent, we discussed ways to build a closer relationship with the Lord and drawing more meaning from the themes of the season. In our discussion, we explored in part, how we might “ask that in thisyear, at thistime, and during thisSeason, that God will instill in us an intentional praise.”
What exactly is “intentional praise” and how is it any different from the single word, “praise?” It is praise that is planned, pre-meditated, or purposeful. To summarize, intentional praise is that adoration toward the Lord that is consciously and deliberately structured. There is anticipation, excitement, and determination.
There are three points that make intentional praiseworthy of our consideration and meditation. Intentional praise is not a habit or agenda item, a trend; or for entertainment.
Some of us have Sunday morning worship on our calendars. It is an agenda item just as any other appointment or engagement. Our praise in this context is simply a habit. We go to work, the market, school, and church. When we arrive at church and find our usual seat. We stand and kneel when we should and say, “amen” on queue. We leave to begin our week all over again with plans to return at the appointed time. This is habitual.
To be intentional in our praise, we have to find meaning and purpose in our religious experience. It has to mean something. We should anticipate and find excitement in being with other believers, moving into the worship experience with an open heart and spirit of thanksgiving! More importantly, our praise should not begin with the morning worship time. It should not end when the church service ends. It should simply transition.
We are already praising God when we wake, prepare breakfast, and make our way to our destination. We are already in praise mode when we enter the sanctuary. We are still praising when the benediction has been given. It is a seamless and continuous response.
I recall that “praise and worship” became a popular expression around the late 1990s. By the turn of the century, it had caught on like wildfire, and praise and worship teams, albums, and resources flooded our culture. Overnight, it seems, the practice began to trend into churches saturating our ears and vocal cords. Yet, I would dare to say that the average worshipper could not explain what the expression actually means.
Trends are exactly that—trends. This means they are temporary. Trendy praise takes on the same style. It follows the popular, contemporary sounds and appeals to whatever is selling or heard through Gospel media. It responds to and is focused on whatever works for the moment.
Intentional praise is not concerned with trends and it is certainly not temporary. When our praise is intentional, it is a permanent fixture in our lives and religion. It is perpetual.
Entertaining a group of people is exhilarating. It is gratifying to see people happy from a song or musical presentation. It is rewarding; and sometimes, it is very much needed by the listener. Nevertheless, it should not be confused with ministry. Entertainment in the church happens quite often. A person who sings or plays well gets as much applause as they would in any nightclub. Once we are on holy ground with the purpose of worshipping the Lord, however, our thoughts should be on ministering and not entertaining.
Intentional praise must start with us and should not be about an agenda, trend, or entertainment. What better New Year’s resolution is there than for us to commit ourselves anew to the Lord and to do it through the sacrificial offering of true, intentional praise?
The Rev. Monica C. Jones, Ph.D. is the director of Christian Education at Big Bethel AME Church in Atlanta. Follow her on Twitter: @MJsinging.
