What is Prayer? Prayer is Adoration

Prayer is ADORATION. 

By adoration we mean worship, reverence, esteem, respect, love. The soul adores God — as it beholds his greatness and his goodness. When a person beholds the beauty of God's perfections, the glory of His majesty, and the wonders of His works — he experiences a feeling of awe and of filial fear and dread. When he gives utterance to his feelings, he cries with the seraphim, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord Almighty! The whole earth is full of his glory!"

We have cause to fear there is great deficiency of adoration in prayer, especially in private prayer. Perhaps in silent meditation, there is not enough admiration of God's exalted nature and marvelous works. There is not a due ascription to him of glory and honor. Jesus said, "When you pray, say, Our Father in Heaven,Hallowed be your name." As we bow down before Jehovah, oh, may there be not only the word "hallowed" on our lips — but a hallowed feeling in our soul.

We hear the Psalmist in his meditation exclaiming: "Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty! He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent, and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants." Psalm 104:1-3.

Much adoring prayer is recorded in the Scriptures. Listen to the devotional song of Moses after the deliverance at the Red Sea. "Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in power: your right hand, O Lord, has dashed in pieces the enemy!" "Who is like unto you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you — glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders!" Exodus 15:6, 11.

The angels are engaged in the prayer of adoration. They are shouting, "Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might — be unto our God forever and ever!" They are singing the song of Moses and the Lamb before the throne of God, saying, "Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God Almighty; just and true are your ways, O King of saints. Who shall not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name? for you only are holy!" May the spirit ofMoses and the angels fall upon our souls, as we approach the mercy seat in prayer.

WHAT IS PRAYER PART 1