There’s an old song that imagines if cartoons “got saved.” Fred and Wilma might sing, “Yabba-dabba-do-jah!” and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles might proclaim, “Cowabunga-lo-jah, Dude!” Elmer Fudd, Yogi the bear and Kermit the frog make an appearance, too.
It’s a silly song that finishes with a point about praise. “Cartoons,” it says, “aren’t made for that. It’s our job. So, let’s sing, ‘Hallelujah!’”
No, it’s not a cartoon’s job to give praise to God. But it’s not just our job either. According to scripture all Creation sings praise to our God. Psalm 148 tells us the angels, the sun, the moon and all the shining stars give praise. Even the heavens join the chorus. Sea monsters of the deep have a voice of praise, too. There’s room for the elements to sing, the mountains and the hills, fruit trees and all cedars, too. And the animals know to sing praise as well. Even the “creeping things.”
Now that’s a praise band!
But it’s still not complete. Kings and all peoples must sing. Young women and men and their older counterparts are in the choir with the rest of Creation.
And why all the praise?
Psalm 148:5 makes it clear. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created.
What God creates gives praise in return. Yes, that includes you, but that also gives Creation a “Hallelujah!” to sing. Another more modern song says it this way: All the earth will shout your praise! At Christmas, many of us are bound to sing the same line: And heaven and nature sing.
Creation seems to understand its purpose.
It’s our stubbornness that keeps us from joining in sometimes. Even though we know something more that God has done. God didn’t come to the world as an angel or a tree. God came to save us as one of us. That’s all the more reason we should give praise.
Instead, often, we’d rather yell, “Touchdown!” than, “Hallelujah!” We’d rather sing the first and last verse only so we can get out of our, supposed, praise early. Keep this thought in mind. It could be another activity or person, an attitude or a feeling. But whatever keeps you from praise, keeps you from your purpose.
Stay blessed…john
