Hallelujah!!!
It's a word that is firmly entrenched in our religious vocabulary. It has found its way into our songs, our scriptures, our sermons, and for some, our daily lives. Despite its long-standing presence, it seems that few know what it means. Some believe that it is a synonym of "Amen" as a response to a good sermon — merely a word to convey strong agreement with someone. But the truth is far more fascinating and relevant to our life.
Hallelujah is a derivative of one of the seven Hebrew words that we translate as praise. "Praise" is a rather tame translation of the word. Hallelujah directly translated means "to be clamorously foolish." These days, with that definition, it almost seems more at home at a sporting event or concert than in church. When were you last clamorously foolish at church? In church, we generally relegate clamorously foolish to the student ministries. We'll let the children and youth handle that for us. But Hallelujah is a word for adults too.
In 2 Samuel 6, David has a Hallelujah moment when the Ark of the Covenant is returned to Jerusalem. He danced with all his might before the Ark as it processed into the city. When his wife expressed her disdain for him because that kind of praise was not befitting a King, David responded saying, "I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes." Our God has done great things for us. He has blessed us with families, friends, health and wealth.
If we look at our possessions in light of the people of Nicaragua (or any number of other countries across the globe), we would see that we are indeed, every one of us, wealthy. Our God is completely deserving of our being clamorously foolish in praise. Another example of Hallelujah worship is found in Job 1:21. On hearing of the destruction of his personal property, the loss of his livelihood, and the of several family members, Job replies, "Naked I came out of my mother's womb, and naked I shall return: the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." In spite of all his loss, Job relied on the faithfulness and inherent goodness of God. He praised God for God's character, even when he could not see God's action in his life. Even in those times when we face the devastation that Job experienced, we can lift our voices and our hearts to God in praise. In those moments, any praise seems like it is clamorously foolish.
Homework this week: Reflect on the character and acts of God. Meditate on how God has blessed you, and on how you have been sustained by his hand. Allow that meditation to bubble up into praise. Let us look to David and Job as examples of how we should be foolishly clamorous in praise to God, and let us live out our Hallelujahs before God!
Hallelujah is a derivative of one of the seven Hebrew words that we translate as praise. "Praise" is a rather tame translation of the word. Hallelujah directly translated means "to be clamorously foolish." These days, with that definition, it almost seems more at home at a sporting event or concert than in church. When were you last clamorously foolish at church? In church, we generally relegate clamorously foolish to the student ministries. We'll let the children and youth handle that for us. But Hallelujah is a word for adults too.
In 2 Samuel 6, David has a Hallelujah moment when the Ark of the Covenant is returned to Jerusalem. He danced with all his might before the Ark as it processed into the city. When his wife expressed her disdain for him because that kind of praise was not befitting a King, David responded saying, "I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes." Our God has done great things for us. He has blessed us with families, friends, health and wealth.
If we look at our possessions in light of the people of Nicaragua (or any number of other countries across the globe), we would see that we are indeed, every one of us, wealthy. Our God is completely deserving of our being clamorously foolish in praise. Another example of Hallelujah worship is found in Job 1:21. On hearing of the destruction of his personal property, the loss of his livelihood, and the of several family members, Job replies, "Naked I came out of my mother's womb, and naked I shall return: the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." In spite of all his loss, Job relied on the faithfulness and inherent goodness of God. He praised God for God's character, even when he could not see God's action in his life. Even in those times when we face the devastation that Job experienced, we can lift our voices and our hearts to God in praise. In those moments, any praise seems like it is clamorously foolish.
Homework this week: Reflect on the character and acts of God. Meditate on how God has blessed you, and on how you have been sustained by his hand. Allow that meditation to bubble up into praise. Let us look to David and Job as examples of how we should be foolishly clamorous in praise to God, and let us live out our Hallelujahs before God!