Michael Halbrook

I've been working on one of my upcoming messages for our youth, inspired by the first chapter of "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan.  In working on the message the hymn "How Great Thou Art" came to mind, and the wording of the chorus.   The verses all talk about thinking about God's greatness, the universe He's created, the nature around us, the sacrifice of His Son, and finally Christ's eventual return.  After each verse, the chorus starts "Then sings my soul...how great thou art".   Not "first sings my soul".  Before praising him, the songwriter considers the majesty of God.  All too often we go before God in prayer and worship with out really considering who it is we're coming before.   Yes He's our loving heavenly father, yes we have immediate access to him, and we can come to him at anytime, with any need, but how often do we stop and really think about what we're doing when we pray and worship?    Consider Revlation 4,  John has been brought in to the Throne Room of God and tells us what he sees:

At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblingst and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.  And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind:  the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight.

When we pray, when we worship, that is the setting we are entering in to.  All too often, we take that for granted, we burst in to the throne room, make our requests and leave, without stoping to consider where we are, and whom we are talking to.  Look around you, gaze in to the night sky, watch a spider spin it's web, the sun rise, or set, over an ocean or mountain, or even your neighbor's house, or the grocery store.  Witness the beautiful danger of a thunderstorm, consider the sacrifice of the Cross.  Enter in to the Throne room of God, stand, look around, see what John saw in Revelation Chapter 4, remember that this life isn't about you, it's about the One on the throne, worship Him, honor Him, praise Him, wait in Him and on Him.  He knows your needs, He knows why you've come, put all focus on Him.  As another classic hymn says "Turn your eyes upon Jesus...And the things of earth will grow strangly dim, in the light of His glory and grace".