Different Ways to Pray預覽

The Prayer of Adoration

The Westminster Catechism asks the question, “What is the chief end of man?” meaning, “What is humanity’s greatest/ultimate purpose?”

It answers, “To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”

What a powerful statement! Our greatest reason for living is to bring glory to the Name of the Lord and to enjoy His beauty and splendor in the process.

God is entirely different from anyone and everything in all Creation. As David reminds us in today’s verses, God is from “everlasting to everlasting.” He never began to exist. He has always been and will always be. God exists beyond the constraints of time, and His greatness surpasses all understanding.

God is in a category entirely on His own. He sits above all things as their sovereign Ruler. He is “exalted as head over all,” and “everything in heaven and earth” is His. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good. Nothing in all Creation can contain him, and nothing could ever hope to adequately convey the depth, the height, and the magnitude of His majesty.

We should be mindful that this is Who we are approaching when we pray. This Holy one of Heaven, this eternal Ruler, is the very God who invites and allows us to come into His presence through prayer. We should never lose that sense of awe when coming before His throne (Hebrews 4:16). It is good to be reminded how small we are compared to God. If He were small enough for our minds to understand fully, He would not be big enough for our battles and trials.

Prayers of adoration are similar to thanksgiving in that they both focus on God, but where thanksgiving concerns itself with praising God for all He has done, adoration praises God for Who He is. Adoration stands in awe of God and extols Him simply for being. It is the ultimate form of worship as it has God's nature and character as its focus and motivation.

Let your prayers include adoration for the majesty of God!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing me to come into Your presence. Help me always to approach You with a sense of awe, recognizing Your greatness and majesty. May my prayers be filled with adoration for who You are—eternal, sovereign, and all-powerful. Teach me to glorify You and enjoy Your splendor every day. Amen.

Reflection: What is it about the character and nature of God that moves you the most today?