“Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”
Revelation 4:8
I like how this adoration of God is outside of time and space, acknowledging Him throughout the Ages - before and after the Ages! Praising God for every moment - outside of moments.
In her book "31 Days of Praise," Ruth Myer says, "I praise you in advance..." (Day 23, p92) She is referring to difficult things that that will happen in the future, which is an extremely hard topic to pray for even in the present! But the Word of the Lord says:
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28).
So we can rest assured that no matter what happened, is happening, or is to happen, it is all being beautifully orchestrated by God, woven together in His wisdom, for The Good.
A worrisome diagnosis was just given to one of my family members. I shared my concern and expressed anxiety over it at our Promise Bible Study meeting. In great wisdom, I was instructed to thank the Lord for the healing that had already occurred for this person. When we prayed, the prayers that were offered were of thanksgiving for this person's well being, instead of pained petitions. What a dramatic shift I felt inside of me!
I'm not saying there's anything wrong with petitions, nor am I saying there's never a time for concern, but I deeply appreciated the positive perspective, and the promise that no matter what, God WILL take care of this situation. In the style of timeless, limitless praise, God is Holy and has it all worked out for The Good.
Again, stepping outside of time, Ruth Myer also reminds us to not forget the miracles and blessing that have previously occurred: "I thank You for past victories you have won..."(p93). I do find it to be the case sometimes that I can only see the victory retrospectively. That is certainly one benefit to getting older: we can see our amazing life-tapestry God has quilted for us, from the very moment He knit us in our mother's womb, through all the events and years...we can look back, connect the dots - even the ones that look like big black holes - and say "Thank you, Father!" Because here we are now, full of breath, able to offer an utterance of thanksgiving to Him.
"By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips confessing his name." (Hebrews 13:15)
Enjoy the present moment, and see it as the very moment when God mightily thrusts his needle into His material, ever continuing the holy design of His divine creation.
Learn more about the 31 Days of Praise!
Resources:
- Ruth Myers, "31 Days of Praise: Enjoying God Anew", Multnomah Books, 1994