Prayer isn’t just asking—it’s celebrating who God is

Worship in Our Prayers

Series: Talking with God: A Journey into Prayer - Day 10

"Come, let us 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. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 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, the flock under his care." (Psalm 95:1-7)

Good morning, beloved friends in Christ! Prayer is such a beautiful gift, isn't it? We've been exploring different aspects of talking with God—asking for His help, bringing Him our needs, thanking Him for His blessings. But today we discover something that might transform the way we pray: worship isn't just something we do on Sunday morning. Worship belongs in our daily prayers, too.

Think about the relationships we treasure most. We don't just talk to people we love when we need something or want to say thanks. We also tell them what we appreciate about them. We celebrate who they are. We express our admiration and love simply because they're wonderful. The same is true in our relationship with our heavenly Father. Prayer that includes worship and adoration is prayer that celebrates who God is, not just what He does for us.

The Scriptures overflow with examples of prayers filled with worship. The psalm we read this morning invites us to "sing for joy to the Lord" and "shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation." It calls us to come before Him with thanksgiving and to bow down in worship before our Maker. Notice how these verses focus entirely on who God is—He is the great God, the great King, our Rock, our salvation, our Maker. Worship in prayer reminds us that we're talking to the Creator of the universe who also calls us His own people, the flock under His care.

When we glimpse heaven in Scripture, we see worship happening continuously. John writes in Revelation, "Day and night they never stop saying: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.' Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 'You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.'" (Revelation 4:8-11) This beautiful vision shows us that worship—declaring God's worthiness and holiness—is at the very heart of being in God's presence.

We can bring this same spirit of worship into our daily prayers. The psalmist shows us how: "I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom." (Psalm 145:1-3) Every day we have the privilege of exalting God, praising His name, and declaring His greatness. This isn't reserved for formal worship services or special occasions. Every prayer we offer can begin with acknowledging who God is.

Worship in our prayers does something wonderful for us, too. When we focus on God's character—His holiness, His faithfulness, His love, His wisdom, His power—our perspective shifts. Our problems don't seem quite so overwhelming when we remember we're talking to the Almighty. Our worries settle when we recall His perfect love. Our doubts quiet when we acknowledge His faithfulness. Worship reorients our hearts and minds to the truth of who God is.

So what does worship in prayer actually look like? It can be as simple as starting our prayers by telling God what we love about Him. We might say, "Father, You are faithful and true. You are loving and compassionate. You are wise beyond measure." We can recall His attributes and speak them back to Him. We can thank Him not just for what He's given us, but for who He is in Himself—our Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, and Friend. We can use the words of Scripture, letting the psalms and hymns of the Bible give voice to our worship.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You are worthy of all my praise and worship. You are the great God, the great King above all. You created the heavens and the earth, and everything that exists came from Your hand. You are holy, holy, holy—perfect in all Your ways. You are loving and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in mercy. You are faithful to all Your promises, and Your steadfast love never fails.

I worship You this morning not because I need something from You, but simply because You are God and You are good. Thank You for allowing me to come into Your presence through Jesus Christ, who made the way for me to know You and love You. Help me to make worship a regular part of my prayers, remembering that prayer is not just about my needs but about celebrating who You are. Let my heart overflow with praise for Your greatness, Your goodness, and Your grace. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Conclusion

As we continue our journey of learning to talk with God, let's remember that worship has a special place in our prayers. We don't have to wait until Sunday to declare God's greatness. We don't need perfect words or musical ability to worship Him in our daily conversations with Him. We simply come, acknowledging who He is—our great God and King, our loving Father, our faithful Savior. When we begin our prayers with worship, we set our hearts in the right place, remembering that we're speaking with the One who is worthy of all honor, glory, and praise. Let worship become a natural part of your prayer life today, and watch how it transforms the way you talk with God.

Praise

We praise You, Lord, for Your majesty and glory! We praise You for Your holiness that exceeds all understanding. We praise Jesus Christ, our Savior and King, who made it possible for us to come before the Father's throne with confidence. We praise the Holy Spirit who teaches us to worship in spirit and in truth. You alone are worthy of our worship, our adoration, and our praise. Great is Your faithfulness, and Your mercies are new every morning. We exalt Your name above every name, for You are God and there is no other. All glory, honor, and praise belong to You forever!

To God be the glory.

---

Morning Encouragement Devotions

If you would like to receive these devotions directly to your phone each morning, simply text "ADD" to 1-833-779-8793. Start your day encouraged, inspired, and rooted in God's Word!