Nara ekele - Receive My Paise

“Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name; bring an offering and enter his courts.”— Psalm 96:8 (CSB)

Heavenly Father,

We come before You with grateful hearts. You have been faithful, merciful, patient, and kind. Forgive us for the times we have received Your blessings without giving You the honor You deserve.

Today, we bring You the offering of our praise. Receive our worship, our gratitude, our obedience, and our lives. May everything we say and do bring glory to Your name.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Nara — Receive All the Praise

The word “Nara” carries the invitation, “Receive.”

It is the language of someone presenting an offering to another:

Receive my thanks.

Receive my gratitude.

Receive my worship.

Receive all the praise.

Throughout Scripture, God’s people were repeatedly called to remember what the Lord had done and respond with worship.

They praised Him for delivering them.

They praised Him for protecting them.

They praised Him for providing for them.

They praised Him for forgiving them.

They praised Him simply because He is God.

The psalmist declared:

“I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.”— Psalm 34:1 (CSB)

Notice that David did not say he would praise God only when life was comfortable.

He said, “at all times.”

Praise is not merely a response to favorable circumstances. Praise is our response to the unchanging character of God.

When the answer comes, He is worthy.

While we are waiting, He is worthy.

When the door opens, He is worthy.

When the door remains closed, He is still worthy.

Our circumstances may change, but God’s goodness does not.

"Don't give God your leftovers" - Malachi 1:6-14

God Deserves More Than Leftover Praise

Sometimes we give God praise only after everything else has received our attention.

We thank the doctor.

We thank the friend.

We thank the employer.

We celebrate our own wisdom, discipline, and hard work.

There is nothing wrong with appreciating the people God uses. But behind every blessing, every open door, every provision, and every moment of strength stands the gracious hand of God.

James reminds us:

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.”— James 1:17 (CSB)

People may have helped us, but God made the help possible.

Medicine may have treated us, but God sustained our lives.

A job may provide income, but God supplied the opportunity.

Our strength may have carried us, but God gave us the strength.

Therefore, our praise ultimately belongs to Him.

Nara, Lord. Receive all the praise.

We're to present "Hearts filled with praise".

Praise Redirects the Heart

Praise does not inform God of something He does not already know.

Praise reminds us of who God is.

When we praise, our attention moves away from the size of the problem and toward the greatness of our God.

Fear says, “What am I going to do?”

Praise says, “God has brought me through before.”

Worry says, “I do not have enough.”

Praise says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need.”

Shame says, “I have failed too greatly.”

Praise says, “His mercy is new every morning.”

Discouragement says, “Nothing is changing.”

Praise says, “God is still working, even when I cannot see it.”

Praise does not deny pain. It declares that pain will not have the final word.

Imagine someone standing on a stage after receiving a great honor.

As the audience applauds, the person invites several people to stand beside them.

They acknowledge the teacher who encouraged them.

They thank the family who supported them.

They recognize the mentor who guided them.

They understand that they did not arrive at that moment alone.

In the same way, none of us has reached this point in life by ourselves.

God carried us through dangers we recognized and dangers we never saw.

He opened doors we could not open.

He closed doors that would have harmed us.

He gave us strength when we were weak.

He provided mercy when we failed.

He surrounded us with people who encouraged us along the way.

When we look back over our lives, we must acknowledge the One who has been present through it all.

We lift our hearts toward heaven and say:

“Nara, Lord. Receive all the praise.”

Praise Through Our Lives

Praise is more than a song.

We praise God through our words, but we also praise Him through our choices.

We praise Him when we forgive.

We praise Him when we serve.

We praise Him when we give generously.

We praise Him when we treat others with compassion.

We praise Him when we obey, even when obedience is costly.

We praise Him when our private lives agree with our public worship.

Paul wrote:

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.”— Romans 12:1 (CSB)

God does not only desire a song from our mouths.

He desires the surrender of our lives.

Our greatest expression of worship is not simply saying, “Lord, receive my praise.”

It is saying, “Lord, receive me.”

Receive my plans.

Receive my gifts.

Receive my time.

Receive my relationships.

Receive my future.

Receive every part of my life and use it for Your glory.

Praise is the grateful response of a heart that recognizes everything good has come

from the gracious hand of God. And there are so many reasons to praise! That said, here are some questions to ponder:

What has God done in my life for which I have not recently thanked Him for?

Do I praise God only when circumstances are favorable, or have I learned to praise Him while I wait?

Is there an area of my life I sing about surrendering but have not truly surrendered?

How can my actions become an offering of praise to God today?

Seed Action Step

Take a few moments today and write down five things God has done for you.

After each one, say aloud:

“Lord, I recognize Your hand in my life. Receive all the praise.”

Then identify one area of your life that you need to surrender more completely to Him.

Let your praise become both a song from song from your lips and an offering from your life.

Father,

You alone are worthy of all glory, honor, and praise. Thank You for every blessing, every open door, every lesson, and every moment of mercy.

Thank You for carrying me through seasons I did not believe I would survive. Thank You for providing when I did not know where the provision would come from. Thank You for forgiving me when I failed and restoring me when I wandered.

Lord, receive my praise.

Receive my gratitude.

Receive my worship.

Receive my gifts, my time, my plans, and my future.

Let my life become a living offering that points others toward You. May I never take credit for what only Your grace has accomplished.

Nara, Lord.

Receive all the praise.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Recommended Worship song:

Nara Ekele Mo - Tim Godfrey ft Travis Greene (with lyrics)