Praise motif

Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God almighty. (Revelation 15:3) 

In music theory, a motif is a sequence of notes that keeps repeating. It’s what gives a piece of music its character and helps you identify it. Probably one of the most recognizable motifs in all of music is the repeated four-note sequence from Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony: “DA-DA-DA-DUM! DA-DA-DA-DUM!” It’s amazing how much drama those four notes convey. Beethoven himself called them “fate knocking at the door.” 

There are also motifs in the Book of Revelation, and one of them is praise. In today’s reading, the saints in heaven are singing a song similar to the one that Moses sang after God had delivered the Israelites from slavery. They are praising God because Christ has delivered them from the sin of the world. Earlier in Revelation, we also see the saints praising God. They give us a picture of what heaven will look like: an unending symphony of praise to God and his glory (Revelation 5:9-14).

We, too, are called to live “for the praise of the glory of his grace” (Ephesians 1:6). But praising God is not just what we will do when we finally make it to heaven. It’s something we can do here on earth—and it’s something that will help us on our path to heaven. Praise takes us out of the here and now and helps lift us up into God’s presence. We can praise God whether things are going well or terribly, because the point of praise isn’t how our life is going but how wonderful God is. 

You don’t really need a reason to praise God. Or more precisely, he’s the only reason you need. You can praise him for his power, wisdom, and mercy. You can glorify him for his love, his justice, and his kindness. What’s more, having the motif of praise running through our lives keeps us focused on what life is all about—knowing, loving, and serving the Lord.

So sing a song of praise to the Lord! Sing in your heart, out loud, or through the words of Scripture. Beethoven’s motif illustrated “fate knocking at the door.” Your motif of praise is one way you can knock at your heavenly Father’s door.

“Lord, thank you for your unfailing love! May I never cease to glorify your holy name.”

from wau.org