I am astonished to find again and again how utterly self-centered I truly am! But being a Christian means to change from being self-centered to God-centered. Let me share one such instance.

I was reading Ps. 148. It is a song of praise for all good things God has made. The psalmist praises God for the sun, the moon, angels, sea creatures, lightning, hail, snow, clouds, etc. As I was reading this, I began to imagine these things in my head – the beauty and majesty of the earth – and I also began to praise God for those things.

But did you notice how ingrained in self-centeredness I was in? I was praising God assuming that God has made all these things FOR me! I was praising God FOR the Sun, the moon, trees, which all look so beautiful TO ME!

But that’s NOT what the psalmist was singing about. He was singing: LET THEM PRAISE YOU! In other words, let the sun, the moon, the trees, themselves praise You!

What is the difference? In the first case, I’m praising God assuming God has made the world so beautiful for me – self-centered. In the second case, the psalmist is seeing that all of creation themselves are praising God with or with him noticing it – God-centered!

So, I began to look at the world differently. I saw that the trees are praising God. I saw that the wind is clapping their hands in praising God. I saw that the clouds are formed to praise God. I saw that the grass is turning green to praise God! With or without me, all of creation is praising God for who He is! What a glorious world and what a glorious God! I am just one such creature to praising God alongside…!

Don’t be miserable by making everything about you. Be freed from yourself by making it about God because it is….

PH