PROCLAIM GOD’S NAME
I was obsessed with my baby doll as a child. Her name was Becky and I brought her everywhere with me. I started talking later than most kids so I spent a lot of time saying mispronounced, one-word sentences. When people would ask me what my name was, I’d say Becky (that’s not my name). When my parents would ask what I wanted to eat, I’d say Becky. When my sisters asked why I wanted to play, I’d say Becky. My communication was very unclear, but everyone knew one thing for sure. I loved baby doll Becky! To this day, one of my mother’s oldest friends calls me Becky. We haven’t kept in touch very well over the years, but he never seems to forget how much I loved that creepy little doll because it was all he heard me talk about as a kid!
People talk about what’s most important to them. The quarterback talks about football. The first chair talks about band. The socialite talks about friends. And the gamer talks about video games. Our words and stories naturally reflect what’s on the forefront of our minds. If you want to know someone’s top priorities, you just need to listen to them talk for a while. Subjects discussed with the most frequency and passion reveal a few of the most important things in their lives.
READ Psalm 105:1-2
Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.
An important part of praising God is proclaiming God. We don’t use the word “proclaim” very often in our everyday conversations, so this may seem intimidating at first. You don’t need to prepare a formal sermon or be holding a microphone to proclaim Jesus. You simply need to include Him in your stories.
Pslam 105 is known as a “historical Pslam.” King David is reflecting on all that God has done to faithfully keep His promises throughout the history of the Old Testament. Story after story demonstrates God’s goodness overcoming hopelessness, oppression, displacement, famine, and plagues. David can’t help himself from sharing how the Lord has come through for His people time and time again. The past proclaims God’s power, so David proclaims God’s name.
You have a past that is evidence of God’s faithfulness too. He’s blessed you, saved you, led you and sustained you. Praise God for all He’s done by proclaiming His name as you speak of how He’s changed your life. When you have a personal relationship with someone, you end up with a lot of stories together. Think about how often your stories include your best friend. I’m sure they come up all the time when you’re talking about the funniest, craziest, and even most challenging times in your life. When you have a personal relationship with Jesus, you can’t help but feature Him in a lot of your stories too.
When you have the chance to share your success, openly give God the glory.
When someone asks how you got through something, explain your faith in Jesus.
When your friend comes to you feeling down, share how God has given you hope.
Proclaim His name by telling people about all His wonderful acts. This is actually how Jesus told people about God. He rarely shared outright statements about faith. Rather, Jesus shared parables that revealed incredible things about God’s goodness and character. Let your stories do the same thing. Praise God with your words. Talk about Him and what He’s done in your life.
To proclaim God is to praise God.
TALK IT OUT
Go through these questions with your circle. Be honest. Be open. Talk through the tough stuff.
Q1: What are two things you like to talk about a lot?
Q2: Has God ever helped you in the past? If so, share an example with the group.
Q3: How often do you talk about your faith? Why do you think that is?
Q4:How can you be bold about sharing your faith with your friends?
Q5: What can you commit to doing every day this week to proclaim God’s name?