Praise Assault

“Tawala Kenya tawala *2
Rais Moi,
tawala Kenya tawala”
*waves finger in the air* 💃

This is what was on my mind as I woke up today.  I know.  I know.  😂
Weird. So I just sang it,  just so it can go away. Bad mistake.  Hours later,  it hasn’t. 
It has only led to more songs in praise of former president Moi.  24years! That’s how long ‘baba’ was president. *sigh. Nostalgia.

***

The book definition of Praise is “the expression of approval or admiration for someone or something.”

A Praise report, commonly used in Christian circles,  used interchangeably with ‘testimony’ is an evaluation of the the works of someone.  And forever, here,  this someone is God. 

“Praise God”! – A form of salutation among Christians.  (that’s what we have reduced it to. It ideally should be, an instruction, a command even. An opportunity to go all in. The start key to telling it all. About Him, all.)
Oh it’s reply? Amen! Lol.  Everytime I think about it,  I laugh.  Because, what is this? Praise God,  Let it be so!? 

😂. Truth is I use it.  And expect that “amen” reply too.  But think about it for a minute. Shouldn’t we ‘lose‘ it every time someone says to us “Praise God” ? Rather than just subconsciously quip amen! Because really,  for a God that is constantly working, constantly thinking up good plans for you[Jer29:11], Constantly gathering strength to show you mercy [Isa 30:18], Constantly on standby to help [Psalm 46:1], and so much more, “Amen” seems soooo rudely out of place. 

I am absolutely convinced, that God, our great God,  our Household name (See previous Over The Counter post), works these wondrous things so we can through and through gurgle choruses of His unwavering Faithfulness, His loving kindness. Not so we can put a lid on it with that ice-cold ‘Amen’.
He’s cooking up a storm for you, because He has a plan for that praise He’ll get.  It has a purpose. 

“Out of the mouth of infants and of sucklings thou hast perfected praise, because of thy enemies, that thou mayst destroy the enemy and the avenger.” [Psalm 8:2,Douay-Rheims] 

Would. You. Look. At. That! 🙌
Praise,  used interchangeably here in different versions with strength, stronghold and ordained praise.

Out of all things that The King would use for weaponry,  He picked praise.  Ladies and gents,  PRAISE! 🙌 Not swords and javelins. Not bombs and missiles. Not grenades and simis (what is this?) Praise.  To DESTROY (put an end to by attacking) the enemy and the avenger. Not harm or simply kill.  To destroy.  This praise therefore,  must be, an assault weapon. 

📷 U. S Army

Assault : Harmful or offensive contact with a person. Offensive, to mean,  “Me first”. Not waiting to defend /cover myself with praise,  rather, to go out and make myself safe with praise. To invade, offensively, with praise. To pray, in praise. No defeated prayers here. 🙅 To determine situations before they happen, with praise. To command the atmosphere, with praise.  To take the battle to the enemy’s camp,  with praise.  To stay on cheering guard as God restores every wasted year [Joel 2:25], with praise. 
To go through the valley of the shadow of death, with praise. And later that day (It won’t last forever 🙋), emerge at His gates with thankful praise.

Tell you what,  last Tuesday, around 9pm, I’m coming down Valley Road at about 50kph. Just a bit after CITAM, I hit this pothole reeeeal nice.  I struggle a bit, and get the car to a halt right at the end of that Panafric bus stop. I would go on to be stuck there for the next one and a half hours. My phone is dying and I’m tired,but my spirit is aliiiive! I get my praise on.  And just refuse to die out. In a quick series of events, the car battery dies, followed promptly by my phone battery (I would later charge it at the Shell station across the road). I talk to the cabbies at Panafric to help jump-start, they are hesitant. Then one elderly one says to the rest in Kikuyu which I understand, “We don’t want to refuse to help this kid”. It sounds funny. Like he’s under instructions.  They try jumpstarting and fail.  They leave,  insisting they’ve tried their best. I’m not even asking.  It’s really dark.  Seconds later, an AA van pulls up behind me.  (We don’t have membership)
He says in Swahili “Someone called me to come and help” Only three people knew of my predicament at that time,  and none had made any such calls. Fixing the damage the next day was financially draining. . . But I’ve never been more deliberate in my praise. The non-über cab guy lowered his rates for me. The shell attendants towed the car for me at no fee at all.
His workings are calculated ladies and gents. They are perfectly crafted to preserve,  and save in the day of trouble.  I need not wait around for motivation to go all in.  Everywhere. Someone might just find life from your praise.

Because His workings,  since the beginning of time, are for exactly that.  Insulating, against the fiery darts of life.
Waging war,  with the full assurance of triumph.  A perpetual victory parade.  A perfected praise. An ordained praise.  An assault-weapon praise.  To maim and destroy. To clear and wipe out. To subdue and conquer, and paying it forward,  to Make Jesus known! 🙌