To praise God essentially requires us to willingly put God at the center of our lives. We have both a soul and a mind. The soul is that which has the capacity to communicate directly with the Divine. If our minds were to directly apprehend the fullness of God, we would perish from the intense energy. (Recall Moses’ countenance after the burning bush experience).
But the soul is similar to a pressure valve in that it allows the appropriate amount of Divine light to enter the mind. The illumined soul (heavens) is a critical component in the work of Spirit. Divinely inspired ideas and thoughts (his angels and host) descend into the soul. The soul receives input in a comprehensive sense; its creative purpose is to reveal the will of the Divine.
The conscious mind is the vehicle through which we express freewill. In the enlightened individual, the mind is a pure reflection of the soul. But because of the nature of the mind, it is very easy for us to cut our mind off from the soul.
We have been given dominion over our minds (earth) but not over our souls (heavens). As children we are very much in touch with our souls, we do what comes naturally to us. The word “should” rarely plays a role in our decisions. By the time we reach adulthood most of us are very in touch with what others want us to do, but have little knowledge of our soul’s purpose. We spend the rest of our lives trying to remove the barriers (that we have erected) that block the reflection of the pure soul light into the mind.
Praise is the activity that dissolves these walls. The effects of praise on the individual are significant. Most often we experience turmoil in our world. Fire and hail, snow and frost, and stormy wind represent the challenges (mental and physical) we face as our hearts and minds are exposed to the light of God. Change takes place within us on every level. From this higher state of understanding we are able to reconnect with our soul’s purpose. Spirit takes root deeply and we experience a new life. There is an integration that takes place in our lives. We eventually discover harmony and balance in our lives (young men and women alike, old and young together).
As we praise God, we become single-mindedly focused on the work of the Divine (his name alone is exalted). We experience our oneness with God. It is through the activity of the Spirit that we are able to look beyond adverse conditions and affirm the presence of God in our lives (He raised up a horn for His people). We are restored to our station as a child of God. Salvation is allowing the soul to fulfill its purpose—to be a channel of God’s wisdom and works in the world.
And so it is! Amen!
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