Praise Before Petition
I don’t know about you, but about this time of year, I am so ready for the change of seasons. I am ready not to be hot, and not to copiously water outside plants. I look forward to cooking the soups I love that are associated with cooler temperatures! I love the “drawing in,” the coziness, and the ubiquitous pumpkin spice smells and products. And I love the fact that we focus on being thankful during this time, which leads me to a question I’ve been pondering: How often do we begin our prayers with our “list” in hand and immediately dive into our requests? Before we petition God, have we first thanked him for our salvation, for our health, for our blessings, and our very lives? Have we spent a moment in adoration of His greatness and His goodness?
If your children are older, think about how special a phone call is from them. But what if they only called when they needed something? Wouldn’t it be strange if you picked up the phone and they immediately started telling you all the things they needed without a greeting, without any preamble?
While we can draw many parallels between a parent/child relationship on earth and our relationship with our Heavenly Father, we know that unlike any parent on earth, God is HOLY. He wants us to approach Him as Father but He is also WORTHY of all of our praise, and he deserves it. “Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.” (Psalm 145:3) The Bible says “God inhabits the praise of His people.” (Psalm 22:3). In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Paul writes, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” It’s literally his will for us to rejoice before him, to be in a continual state of prayer, and give thanks no matter our circumstances.
“Come let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” Psalm 95:6
This season, let us enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts praise, and let us remember that praise, then petition, is the proper order.
Written by: Michelle Dowdy