Merciful Heavenly Father, prepare us for worship by calling to mind those sins of the past week that we need to confess and give us repentant hearts in this moment. Prepare us for worship by focusing our minds on Your glorious character and excellent provision. Prepare us for worship by giving us attention to the truth of Your Word with a desire to heed its life-giving counsel. Prepare us for worship by opening our hearts to true fellowship and unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Prepare us for worship by raising our voices in praise of our good and glorious God and His all sufficient grace toward us. We pray for the sake of Your praise and the furtherance of Your Kingdom in the world and in our hearts. Amen.
Posts Tagged ‘Praise’
Preparatory Prayer
Posted in God Thoughts, Praise, Prayer, Worship, tagged Praise, Prayer, Preparation, Worship on August 22, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Adorable
Posted in Beauty, Connotations, General, Glory, God Thoughts, Hymns, Praise, Random thoughts, tagged Adorable, Adoration, Adore, Glory, Hymn, Praise, Worship on May 22, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Adorable may be defined as
“1: extremely charming or appealing” [examples:] an adorable child, an adorable cottage
2: worthy of adoration or veneration” (1,2)
Notice that the charming definition comes before the adoration one. I assume that this preference is based on the amount of usage in the English language. Interestingly, the etymology (3) of adorable and its base word, adore, is based entirely in worship of God. To find one’s spouse or child or anything adorable is secondary and found arising in language 3 centuries later. So, it makes sense that the definition of adore reflects this origin:
“1: to worship or honor as a deity or as divine
2: to regard with loving admiration and devotion [example:] He adored his wife.
3: to be very fond of [example:] adores pecan pie” (4)
More than likely this order of definition is also based on usage. In present culture, I dare say that you have heard the word adorable in its primary use more than adore in its primary use. With this in mind, consider that it is reasonable that I was struck anew with the following phrase from the hymn, “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”:
“Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight.”
Now you may wonder what the purpose of my introduction is. Obviously, this sentence is talking about God. But I didn’t have the definitions and preferences of use in mind at the time, just the cultural tendency to think of adorable, for example, adorable grandchildren (5).
But then I thought, “Wait, these angels believe God is adorable, that is, lovable, beautiful, worthy of veneration and devotion.” And they do not worship Him out of compulsion or duty, afterall 1/3 refused to and became demons (6). No, they veil their sight, for though they are powerful and beautiful and pure beings among whom humans faint and tremble, their power and beauty and purity is trivial compared to God’s. Are they ashamed to look upon Him? Probably not, since they are pure. But He is so holy, so other, and so glorious, so heavy, and so pure, so full of light. They adore Him because He is worthy and they want to, are privileged to. That will be heaven, worshiping before Him because He has enabled me to and with a pure heart I will want to and it will be blissful.
- Adorable | Definition of Adorable by Merriam-Webster
- It may surprise you to know it is an adjective only. In the sentence, “The puppy is adorable.” it is still an adjective.
- Etymology- the history of a word or linguistic form
- Adore | Definition of Adore by Merriam-Webster
- I have eight grandchildren, so it is natural for that to come to mind immediately.
- Revelation 12:3-4
Forever Raise
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Grace, Hymns, Joy, Poem, Praise, Work of Jesus, tagged God's person and works, Hymn, Poem, Praise, Worship on December 25, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Listen closely! The heavenly messengers melodically announcing ‘High praise for the weightiness of the freshly arrived sovereign.’
You know that as “Hark the herald angels sing. Glory to the Newborn King!” My interpretation of the excellent poetry of Charles Wesley is pedantic but also calls attention to the meaning of the phrase. This hymn of the season is my favorite. I like it so much because of its dense theology. There is nothing trivial or lightly thought out about it and it demands thought to understand which raises high praise for God’s work in Christ on our behalf.
It had been my intention to discuss the “dense theology” of this beloved hymn, which I will do at another time. This morning as I contemplated its meaning other praise came to my mind. It is not so dense in content but it is of some value I hope:
Oh, that more praise were lifted up
That more souls of salvation’s cup
Would drink and raise their voice in song
Harmonize with heavenly throng
For God is worthy of all praise
Loud shouts and quiet voice we raise
That more may know His holiness
And live for Him in righteousness
A God transcendent above all
Yet stoops to save us from the Fall
His Son in flesh to recue man
Christ’s death brought life, a gracious plan
Creating all was just a start
Sustaining it in every part
Reversing corruption of sin
Those who trust Him, He now calls kin
We see His goodness in this life
Not despite but in midst of strife
We by His Spirit overcome
Submit to His rule and kingdom
All things His power and beauty show
The heavens and all things that grow
Design complex and delicate
Ever studied, how intricate
His Word reveals all we must know
To serve Him well and in Him grow
His peace and joy will through us flow
The world His praise and glory show
All our worship to God should be
From a heart that has been set free
In spirit and truth ever praise
His name and works forever raise
P (7x)
Posted in Blessing, Faith, General, Glory, God Thoughts, God's Word, Praise, Prayer, Problems, tagged Alliteration, Faith, God's Word, Praise, Prayer, Problems, Truth on October 28, 2018| Leave a Comment »
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