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| APPLY: (12 minutes) Ask this question, “If you died tomorrow and people held a funeral for you, what would they say? What would they praise you for?” Give them paper and crayons or markers and instruct them to write out a tombstone that would summarize who they were in life. When everyone is finished, have a time of sharing and explanation. RESPOND: (10–15 minutes) Remind the students that the highest form of praise is to imitate the actions of the one you are praising. If God is so great because of his love and care for the poor, then what does that say about our lives? If God values justice this much, what does that say about our values? Take 10-15 minutes to plan an evening of service where your group reaches out to those who may need a helping hand. Be sure that you avoid the temptation of self-righteousness, for this is not true service or true praise to God. Write your plan down and put it into practice within the next month. INSIGHTS FROM THE SCRIPTURE: Psalm 145 is a beautiful psalm of praise. Psalms of praise differ from psalms of thanksgiving in that they praise God for the characteristics of God, and thanksgiving hymns focus on the things God has done. Sometimes the difference is so subtle that it is hard to distinguish one kind from the other. What makes this psalm, and other Israelite praise psalms, different from the praise psalms of other ancient religions is the main reason given for praise—justice. God is great and wonderful and full of glory because God takes care of the needy. Continued... |
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