Annie
Scriptures
Luke 1:46-55
Matthew 21:13
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Psalm 95
I am sitting here listening to wonderful scriptures being sung with reverence, thanksgiving and as a fervent prayer to our God who hears and knows all, and I realise once again why we are told so often to worship Him in the beauty of holiness, with humility and awe. We can only imagine what it is going to be like when we leave this earth behind us, to spend all of eternity in complete joy and adoration, with the Father who has been waiting in boundless excitement for us to meet Him face to Face. What a glorious day, what a beautiful hope and assurance.
I have been becoming more and more aware during this year of how important it is to worship in the way that most pleases God, not necessarily what makes me feel “happy”. This lesson has been an almost constant part of my personal path in my relationship with my Father God for some time, but has been so prominent lately. I am reminded of Mary’s wonderful song of adoration to God who had done such great things for her. It is pure worship, filled with awe and humble gratitude expressed as this heartfelt prayer. Time after time in scripture we hear prayer and thanksgiving expressed as worship, at the very heart of these prayers is worship. What an example for us all to follow in our daily lives. It is in worship filled prayer that we respond to God in so many ways, whether that prayer is expressed aloud in singing or speaking, or in silent worship. We come before Him in adoration as we praise God for who He is, and in thanksgiving as we express how grateful we are for what He has done.
A long while ago, I read words from Charles Spurgeon where he refers to prayer as the engine room of the church, he said “if the engine room is out of action, then the whole mill will grind to a halt”. He was making the point that without prayer we stall and eventually cease to move forward in God’s plan for us, both individually and as His Bride, the Church. When Jesus visited the temple and saw the place of commerce that it had become, He called out those whose responsibility it was to ensure that God’s house was a House of Prayer, not a place of commerce or entertainment, in Jesus words “a den of thieves”. Without reverent, thankful, worshipful prayer, we open the door for our peace, our joy, our focus on God, to evaporate and be lost amid the clamour of seeking to please people instead of God.
When we find ourselves caught up in the daily tasks that must be done, we can come to the end of the day and wonder where did the determination to “pray without ceasing” disappear to? It is in these busy days that we find the value of prayerful worship, whether that is praying and giving thanks in song as we work or seeing God in all we do and being filled with thankful awe of His greatness and goodness. If we allow ourselves to even consider that worship is really at the heart of prayer, then we have to also consider that when we pray it needs to be worshipfully, and when we worship it needs to be prayerfully.
A life of prayer, whether as an individual or as part of the Bride, is not an option for any of us. If our lives are to grow and prosper in God, our lives must be filled to overflowing with worshipful, reverent, thankful prayer. We are set apart by the life that God gives us, a life that is to reflect His Glory, His Gentleness and His Omnipresence. In praying without ceasing as God desires, we reflect that constant presence Who dwells within us and loves us beyond measure.
Prayer: With thankful hearts full of praise, we come to You, our Abba Father. All we have is our boast in the cross of Christ, the hope and assurance He bought for us at Calvary, and it is all we need, and we thank and worship You for Your grace, Your Mercy and Your all consuming Love for us. Thank You Abba Father, Amen.
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