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Be Still

             He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)

Exalt [c. 1400, "to give off vapor, flow out," from Old French exalter (10c.), from Latin exaltare "raise, elevate," from ex "out, out of, from within" (see ex-) + altus "high," literally "grown tall," from PIE root *al- (2) "to grow, nourish." From early 15c. as "to elevate in rank or honor;" also "glorify, praise, extol."] (Exalt )- Etymology, Origin & Meaning

                What does it mean to exalt God? What does it mean to worship Him? I suspect we all have some vague, high-level notion, but what is your “not Sunday School,” real answer? Yes, I’m stuck on a definition again. I’ve included the etymology, but what do those meanings mean? For some folks, worship means singing praise songs.  It’s raising hands and swaying with the music. Why is that worship? How does it exalt God?

                Some people worship out in nature or are moved to worship because of majestic art or architecture.  Psalm 8 reflects this idea. Again, why is this worship? It seems as if worship is tied to heightened emotions. Referring back to the etymology, the idea of giving off vapor. I can’t help but think of all the “vapor” that is given off by fans of some celebrity: the screaming, the jumping, etc. But if exaltation is nothing more than emotional displays, then those of us who aren’t given to public displays of emotion are in trouble.

                The thing that I suspect may be behind all those forms of worship, what makes them worship, and what exalts God is telling the truth about God. There can be emotion involved, but it’s not the only possibility. Exalting God also includes obeying God, appreciating His handiwork, confessing our sins and seeking forgiveness, serving others, using gifts, money, or skills in His service, meditating on His Word, evangelism, telling others the truth, loving our neighbors as ourselves, and telling ourselves the truth about God. It’s not about making God greater than what He is. It’s about recognizing that He is greater than we are and responding accordingly in whatever means is appropriate at the time. Quite often, that probably involves simply being still and knowing that He is God.

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