PREPARATION FOR PRAISE

Psalm 138:8  "The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever....do not abandon the works of your hands."

My Lord, my God, how I love You.  Your Name thrills me when I hear it come out of my lips as it flows out of me with so much love and I know in my  heart how You are receiving this expression of my praise.  It was not always so, not as it is now.  I have loved You for a long time, but it was not with this deep, longing adoration that is so present in me day and night.  I cannot imagine my life without You, my King, without Your presence filling my home, filling the space around me constantly and filling my heart.  Your Glory surrounds me as I prepare to praise You, as I come before You to open my heart to You and ask You, once again, to look inside of me and see if there is anything that is unworthy of Your worshiper, unworthy of letting me come into Your presence.  Everything that is not of You has to be totally removed from me, I want no part of anything worldly when I come to You, when I offer up the praises from my heart, when I sing to You the new songs that the Holy Spirit has taught me, has drawn from me to praise You.  Only with a pure heart can I truly worship You, praise You like You deserve, as fitting from Your worshiper.

Dear Father, how I love to worship You.  You have touched my life in ways that some people could not understand.  You alone have given me new life, a totally new heart and eyes that see clearly Your Word, ears that can hear the slightest whisper when You say my name, when You tell me how much You love me.  Because You love me, because You have drawn me to Your side, to sit with You, to listen to Your sweet, beautiful voice.  Yes, I know, some will wonder if I have heard Your voice and the answer will not mean a lot to one that does not understand.  But my spirit hears Your voice, my spirit smells the sweet essence of Your love when You come near to me and translates that voice, that beautiful fragrance to my natural eyes and ears.  It becomes so real that I can sit in Your presence and just bask in the joy of Your Glory.

I honor Your presence, Lord.  I honor the glory that surrounds You.  I honor You, my King, with all my heart.  I always want to be prepared to praise You, my Lord.  I know if I just praise from my lips and not my heart You will hear me, I know You will accept the praise, as You are so worthy of all praise of the earth; but when the praise comes from my pure heart, humbled low before You in love, in adoration, then  my worship becomes that aromatic flow of sweetness that melts Your heart.  That love that touches You deeply, as You see the heart that is pouring herself out to You, giving of herself to tell You how You are adored, how You are welcome where ever she is.  That is me, Lord, You know that is me, as I worship; as I praise You.  You are my God, my Lord, my Father, my Pappa, my Redeemer, my King, my precious Jesus.  There is that sweet name again, Jesus.  I love Your name, Lord.  Jesus.

This day was a remembrance day, Father, of a day ten years ago that drove fear into the hearts of so many of Your children.  But You did not leave us for a moment, Your hand stayed on Your people and sustained us, protected us.  I thank You for Your touch, Your comforting touch, Lord, on all those who lost loved ones that day.  You are truly an awesome God as You give so much to those who do not praise You; You give to them and You wait for that day they too will call Your name once again.

This 11th day of September, 2011, I want to worship You, my Lord.  I want to praise You knowing You have prepared me for praise, for praise that goes only to You, my God.