Daniel 9: 4-5 The Paradox of Praise
Sin Sensitivity
I heard someone say on social media, that as we grow in our faith, we feel worse. To me the reason for this is obvious; sin. As we pray and fast more, we become much more sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Through this connection, we become much more aware of His nature; a nature that is so unlike us in every way. He is Holy, and set apart. His perfection gives light to our imperfection. We, as humans, have a murderous, envious, and adulterous nature that strives to lead us astray daily. As we become yoked more with the Holy Spirit, that nature is displayed in high detail.
The issue is simple. We are all sinners. We are all wicked in our flesh, and the only way to not be that way, is through trust in the Holy Spirit. I recently revisited the book of Daniel. In Daniel 9, Daniel, who is in exile in Babylon, opens the chapter with a prayer to inquire of the Lord what might become of the fallen Jerusalem. In the prayer, Daniel begins with telling the truth of both who God is, and who we are.
Daniel 9: 4-5
“Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.” Daniel 9:4-5.
Telling the Truth
This truth telling ability is what sets apart those who are living a life of repentance.
Are we able to see the grandiosity of Christ’s sacrifice, for it covered up the grime and filth of our sin? And once we see it, what are we to do with this revelation? Do we cower at our mere reflection? Do we sneer with apathy at it, rehearsing vague statements about the normality of unholiness? Or maybe we rithe in shame or guilt for the hideous deeds we’ve done softly, declaring that we are in fact all monsters. What does this truth do to the psyche?
It is my judgement, that a truth as insurmountable as this requires only one one response: Praise.
It seems counter intuitive initially, that excitement would spring from the sour well of sin.
How can we, while being ever so aware of our shortcomings, still turn to praise?
Praise in the Midst
I would argue that those who are not as sinful as me, might not have much to praise for. If a man is without sin, though I know none of the such, he is no need of the sacrifice Christ made. Therefore, he need not shout with vigor. He need not wade in the waves of gratitude. This, I argue, should be reserved for the sinners.
No we are the poor or needy in spirit that Christ spoke about in Matthew 5. For we know of our need for Christ. We know of the intimacy we find in communing with Him.
And so, there is this paradoxical thought life of a Christ follower. A tedder tottering of desperate repentance, and vigorous praise. For we know what we have been brought from, and we know the kinship we rest in.
A Pardox Recipe
Healthy Blueberry-Kale Yogurt Popsicles
Yield: 8 popsicles (about 3 oz each)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Freeze Time: 4–6 hours
Ingredients
2 cups frozen blueberries
1 cup chopped kale (stems removed, loosely packed)
1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt (full-fat or low-fat)
3–4 tablespoons honey (to taste)
½ cup water (or unsweetened almond milk for creamier texture)
1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional, for brightness)
Instructions
Prepare the kale
Rinse the kale leaves, remove any thick stems, and roughly chop.
Blend the mixture
In a high-speed blender, combine the frozen blueberries, kale, yogurt, honey, water (or almond milk), and lemon juice if using.
Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
Taste and adjust
Taste the mixture and add more honey if you prefer sweeter popsicles.
Pour into molds
Evenly divide the mixture into popsicle molds, leaving a small gap at the top for expansion as they freeze.
Insert sticks.
Freeze
Freeze for at least 4–6 hours, or until fully solid.
Unmold and serve
To release popsicles, briefly run warm water over the outside of the mold, then gently pull them out.
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