Day 4 Jonathan Edwards

Giants of the Faith Devotional Day 4 Jonathan Edwards

Heavenly Worship 

"Every saint in heaven is as a flower in the garden of God, and holy love is the fragrance and sweet odor that they all send forth, and with which they fill the bowers of that paradise above. Every soul there is as a note in some concert of delightful music, that sweetly harmonizes with every other note, and all together blend in the most rapturous strains in praising God and the Lamb forever."  Jonathan Edwards

All of mankind was created to be apart of this wonderful experience.  Every person God deeply wants for them to be apart of this grand chorus in Heaven.  We were created to glorify God!  Our momentary and eternal destiny does not vary all that much.  Here we are commanded to "do all unto the glory of God."  We are called to praise and worship God with all that we are. 

 It says in 1 Corinthians. 6:20 "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are Gods."  With our body we are to glorify God.  To glorify means to praise, to honor and to worship.  We can glorify God by obeying His commands and offering up our body as disciplined children, avoiding lust and temptation.  We can glorify God by using our hands and arms to be raised toward Heaven to worship and adore Him.  We can use our legs to kneel before Him, bowed over in humility before His greatness.  We can use our mouth to glorify God by singing songs of His goodness and mercy and love.  

It is an amazing thing when a group of people get together to worship the Lord through praise and worship!  So many times I have been brought to tears while in a church service because of the tangible presence of God.  While Gods children connect in spirit and body as one singing joyfully unto Him amazing things take place!  I especially see the beauty of worship while ministering in other countries.  I love being in a worship service in South America of Africa with such precious people.  Though we may not speak the same language, though I may not fully understand all the words to the song, we all as brothers and sisters in Christ enter in the spiritual realm and connect with our Heavenly Father in special way through worship and praise!  I feel as Edwards describes "Every soul there is as a note in some concert of delightful music."  Hallelujah!

Imagine the glories of Heaven!  As we all in one accord of people from every tribe, nation and tongue, from all of the history of mankind combine our voices and hearts together for one purpose.  That is to sing praises to one who loved us and gave up His life for us!  Let us not wait until Heaven though.  Next time you are in a corporate worship service, sing and worship with all your might unto the Lord.  As you devote your life to personal times of worship, worship God with all you are, knowing He has done so much for you in Christ.  Seek Him today, for He loves to hear the worship filled voices of His children!

Scripture of the day:  Revelation 5:11-

"Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice:  “ Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:  “ Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne,  And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”  Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever."