Psalm 103:1-2, Deuteronomy 8:10, Judges 5:2, 1 Chronicles 29:19-20, Nehemiah 9:5, Psalm 104:1, Matthew 26:7

Glyn Barrett unpacks why and how we should bless the Lord

'The Levites said "Stand up and bless the Lord your God, forever and ever. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and all praise".' Nehemiah 9:5

Live a life where you are standing up for something. Where life is for more than just you. Stand up for a cause. Our God is a God of righteousness, our God is a God of mercy. We bless God by standing up for a cause. What cause are you standing up for beyond yourself? What are you giving in your life so this cause will be changed? What are you living for and what legacy will you leave behind?

5. Bless the Lord through worship

'Bless the Lord, oh my soul! Oh Lord my God you are very great: you are clothed with honour and majesty'. Psalm 104:1

In Psalm 104 David was blessing the Lord through worship. In this Psalm, the Hebrew word for worship (bless) also means to kneel. Bless the Lord, oh my soul - kneel before the Lord. To kneel before God is a lifestyle we can choose. It says we are coming before you God and we surrender our lives to you. When God speaks to us, he often speaks to us with a now word. Living a lifestyle of kneeling and utter surrender means we react to his words instantly, rather than more conveniently leaving it for tomorrow. The trouble with tomorrow is that it rarely comes and we miss an opportunity to bless the Lord. If we declare 'God wherever I go I will go kneeling. Whatever I do I will do it in surrender because you're the Lord over my life. You're my all in all.' We bless the Lord.

6. Bless the Lord by giving him the best of what we have

'A woman came to Jesus having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table'. Matthew 26:7

This woman gave Jesus the best of what she had. The best. Not the last, not the leftovers, but the best. We need to bless him with the best of what we have. Whatever you are doing, give it your best, do it for God. Is what you give to God your best?

Why do we bless God?

The reason we bless God, is because we are making a choice, to let our hopes, not our hurts define our future. When you bless God, God enables you to see things like you've never seen things before. All of a sudden you begin to comprehend the God from Psalm 103, that he forgives all, he sees all, he heals all, he redeems all, he satisfies all, he completes all, he renews all. As you bless God you have the realisation, why am I carrying this hurt? God forgives. God renews. God does all things well. God restores. Your hopes increase as your hurts dissipate. Even in bad times you know the truth, that there is a God on the throne who makes all things new. God can turn all things around for his glory. Bless God, as you need to bless God. As you bless God you are saying my hopes, not my hurts will define me, my future and the way forward.