GOD DWELLS WHERE HE IS PRAISED
As humans, we tend to forget and sometimes not pay attention to what really matters. We try to quickly move on, or we get too busy trying to fix something (could be anything). Even drown ourselves too deep in our problems, causing the things that mean everything (the heavenly things) to be forgotten and placed aside. When we go through tough times we tend to forget God and focus solely on the situation, like we are capable of solving it on our own. We stop praising and when everything goes so well, we again get too excited and forget to praise. Well today, I am here to remind you that God does not dwell where He is not praised.
Let’s take a look at Genesis 29: 32-35, it says,
**“**Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now. She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon. ****Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi. She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.” Amen! Genesis 29: 32-35
Here we have a picture of Leah conceiving and becoming pregnant several times after God seeing she was not being loved by her husband. But for all the times she brought forth a child, she gave thanks with a complaint, meaning she focused and gave attention to her situation more than God. Then we also see that when she brought forth the fourth child and turned away from her situation, completely praising God with a sincere heart, she named her child Judah. Due to Leah’s praise, God decided to dwell in Judah. What I am saying is “GOD DWELLS WHERE HE IS PRAISED”.
So one might ask, “what do you mean God dwelt in Judah?”
Well, from here, we will learn of how God decided to dwell within Judah, due the sincere praise of Leah.
In Genesis 49:8 - 12, Jacob is on His death bed, blessing His children. Verse 8 - 12, states the blessings for Judah.
“Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. ****You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? ****The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his. ****He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. ****His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk. Amen! Genesis 49:8 - 12
Then he rejected the tents of Joseph, he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim; ****but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loved. Amen! Psalm 78 : 67 - 68
Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah is my scepter. Amen! Psalm 108: 8
Reading all these verses, it is evident that over all the tribes of Israel, God chose to dwell in Judah. This is not because Judah was the most righteous son, or because he was worth it more than the others or because he was the eye ball of God, but it was all due to the sincere praise Leah had. In the midst of her happiness, winnings and losses, she decided to praise the Lord and when she did so God chose to dwell with Judah. Therefore, from the tribe of Judah came our Saviour, Lord Jesus Christ.
What lesson does this teaches us?
It teaches us that when we complain about our current situation we remain in it but when we praise God in the midst of difficulties, he raises us out of it. He chooses us and dwells within our praises. Praise is a power that we turn to not pay much attention to. It is time for us to praise without reasoning.
One might ask, so what is praise?
Well, praise is not just going to church and having an up tune beat praise session, with people dancing and singing out loud. Praise is more. Praise is expressing warm approval and admiration to God. It is being able to commend God in spite of anything. It is applauding God, glorifying Him, acclaiming Him and devoting to Him despite how you look, where you find yourself or what the current focus is at the time. And when we are able to do this, God will always choose and dwell with us. He will be our Emmanuel.
How do we stay praising at all time?
We can stay praising God sincerely, by focusing on the good and on all what God has done for us so far. We can also do this by studying and reading His word consistently and also having a consistent heart of worship. These acts help keep our mind on the positive and more importantly on God. They help us to always remember that is it by His grace that we are where and so we ought to give gratitude and praise to Him.
See God, gave Leah her first born because He already knew of her agony. If Leah had focused on God more than her situation, God would have dwelled in her first born just as He did in Judah. This is to say God already knows of our pain and of our situation, there is no need to give the situation more attention. Do you best at work and focus on God in praise. Let your attention be on God and when we do this God will dwell within us.
It’s time for us to praise the Lord for his Goodness because the more we praise, the more He dwells in us and lifts us up. Remember to always praise.
Shalom!
Manuela/ YAFC Team
