Get your praise on

There are awards, accolades and ceremonies for many things these days: a group of men get paid phenomenal sums of money to kick a ball, cheered on by groups of adoring fans. Individuals get golden statuettes for pretending to be someone else. Others are commended for their ability to prepare meals in a short space of time and then pass the recipes on to the viewing audience. These are all matters of personal opinion and taste; for every award handed out, there will be someone who agrees and someone else who disagrees. In a certain sense, they are also pretty unimportant things in the bigger scheme of life. What do you give praise for?  The Israelites had been miraculously delivered from the Egyptians. They had crossed the red sea on dry land and seen their enemies defeated. They had been set free. David said the redeemed of the Lord…