you to know how great

For me, receiving praise is a difficult thing. First, I understand that I am nothing and He is everything and all I do is because of Him, so praise makes me uncomfortable knowing I don't deserve it. Second, as one who struggles regularly with the sin of pride, praise makes purity of thought more difficult.

As I lifted praise to God yesterday am, wondered how the Lord handles praise. And while wondering, filled with the image of the night before when my daughter kissed me on the cheek and told me she loved me and that I was the best poppy in the world.

That imagery helped me to recall my feelings at the instant of that praise from my sweet thing. And there was no pride at that instant, no thought of self. Rather, it was this return of love to the complimenter, this feeling that I was so happy that she realized how much I loved her.

It is this same feeling I believe the Lord feels during our praise. He has no desire to be the Famous One. He has no desire to have His ego stoked. Rather, He'd like to know that we know how much He loves us, and then return that love in a spirit of purity. Praise for Him is tied to His love for us, a cycle He delights in never ending.