Friday, March 4 – Acts 4:21-22

When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened; for the man on whom this miracle of healing had been performed was more than forty years old.

When you think about ways to serve God, many different things may come to mind. Maybe it’s leading a small group, helping a neighbor, or sharing the gospel. One of the ways we serve God that we don’t typically think about is praising Him. We may know He wants our praise and adoration but may not understand the impact of this worship. As the Council kept pressing, the crowd kept praising and glorifying God. They had no choice but to let them go, “on account of the people.” What would happen if we made glorifying God a priority in our lives? Who would start to ask questions about God if we continually gave Him glory instead of taking credit for ourselves?

We know Peter and John had boldness, but in these verses, we see that the individuals in the crowd also had courage. They praised God, in the face of opposition. They supported the disciples in that moment through their worship of God. People notice praise because it is so contrary to human nature. We want the credit, we want convenience, and we want to avoid conflict. Praising God in the storms and inconveniences of our lives is evidence to others that there is a greater power at work in us. We should never underestimate our role and responsibility to give God praise for what He has done. And may we look for the opportunity to glorify God in all things whether at home, work, church, or school. He is worthy of all praise and adoration.

• Do you typically view praising God as a way of making an impact on someone else? Why or why not?
• What is something you can praise God for today?
• Pray and thank God for who He is and what He has done in your life and in the lives of those around you. Ask Him to help you have an attitude of praise.