A Habit of Praise

I've been reading Praise Habit: Finding God is Sunsets and Sushi by David Crowder. I really like the way he writes. It's crazy random thoughts with deep insights into what Praise means to him. Today was a chapter on becoming who we are in Christ and he talked about Nuns. Whenever I see a Nun, I find myself feeling sorry for them because they have chosen a life of solitude and they have to wear that horrible black and white dress! But, if you research the meaning of the dress and head wear, it's quite interesting. David Crowder explaines the ceremony where a nun recieves her new clothes and new life: "During the ceremony, the sister would receive her consectrated garb and new religious name. She could then lie flat on the ground before the altar as a black funeral pall was placed over her and candles burned at each corner of her body. . . Her old life was gone. What was before this moment had vanished. A new name, a new set of clothes, and a new way of living had begun." I think I have a whole new idea about the clothes nuns wear. They are laying down their old self and becoming God's completely and wholly. What a nun wears identifies her and defines who she is. David Crowder says that's the kind of life he wants to live; where Christ covers him and defines who he is and what else can he do but PRAISE the one who has changed him. Am I living a life that identifies me as Christ's child? Am I giving him PRAISE for my new life? I've been a Christian for so long and I sometimes get into the habit of just going throught the motions without any real meaning; reading the Bible, praying before each meal, going to church, singing worship songs. I want Christ to cover me so completely that I have no other response than to live a life of constant PRAISE! Lately God has shown me little ways to awaken my relationship with Him. I now start each prayer saying, "God, I love you" or "God, you are awesome!" instead of "Dear Heavenly Father" like I'm writing a letter to God. Even this little change has helped me feel so much closer to God and has made my prayer life mean so much more than it was before. I don't want to become a casual christian, I want to be a radical child of God!

"Our habit is the Christ. He is what covers us. He is what identifies us. We wear Him into every moment, and when we live with this awareness, we PRAISE CHRIST."

David Crowder

Next time you see a nun, remember that Christ is covering you and PRAISE HIM!