The next unshakeable topic in the prayer covenant Worship, which follows repentance. When Jesus washes us clean, our response is praise. Praise for all he has done on our behalf, praise that we can walk in newness of life, praise for his excellent greatness.
As a girl growing up, there was a pastor in my life who always responded to every “How are you?” that came his way with a resounding, “Praising the Lord!” That is not always easy to do. In the midst of stressful circumstances, packed schedules, financial worries, family crises and the like, we often forget that God is still in control. He is forever faithful, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, the God of time and eternity.
Praising God During Difficulty
How can we learn to praise Him in the midst of difficulty? How do we extend a heart of praise past the Sunday morning worship time? How do we grow in the knowledge that we were created by Him and for Him and He desires our praise? How do we make praise a priority in our lives?
The answer comes as we grow in prayer. When we pray, we are focusing our attention on the One who is worthy of our praise. Psalm 95 invites us to worship the Lord:
Sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song… Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker, for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture…
Psalm 100 is another powerful praise psalm:
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations.
What a precious promise by a faithful Father. He assures us that His faithfulness will continue through all generations! By teaching your children to pray, guiding them in their prayers of grace, love, compassion, repentance and worship, you are equipping them to grow in their relationship with Jesus. You are laying a foundation for prayer that will remain with them all their lives. Whether your children are preschoolers, teenagers, or adults, encouraging your children to pray, modeling prayer, and praying for them will yield eternal fruit.
