WHY GOD'S PEOPLE SHOULD WORSHIP AND PRAY NIGHT AND DAY (PART 1)
Not too long ago I was asking myself, “what are some of the main Biblical reasons the church should worship and pray night and day?” It’s a good question to ask ourselves often, because we need to be Biblically convicted, convinced, and reminded - and then respond, act, and live our lives in accordance.
7 things came to my mind--but I will share the first 3 here and the other 4 in a separate blog post. These 7 reasons are by no means an exhaustive list, but they’re the first things that came to my mind as to why the people of God, both collectively and individually, should worship and pray night and day.
#1 - HE IS WORTHY, POWERFUL, & HAS LOVED US FIRST
Simply because He is God alone, He is worthy of unceasing adoration. He is Uncreated and we are created. The Scriptures are full of truths that show us the greatness of who God is and what He is like. His unending glory is unsearchable. Who He is and what He does is unfathomable, so we respond with praise. “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” Is He worthy of anything less than our whole lives and the entirety of our days, months, and years?
Yet, not only a response because He is Almighty - but a loving response because He is the One who loved us first. It’s not simply a robotic response. We respond because He is powerful, yes, but also because He is a jealous God full of emotions and ardent effections for us. He loved us first, so it is only right that we give Him love back. True love always pours over. We worship as a response to who He is, what He does, but most of all because we LOVE Him.
#2 - HE CALLED HIS PEOPLE ISRAEL TO BE A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS
The LORD called His people Israel to be a Kingdom of Priests. As He brought them out of Egypt He said: “you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6).
The LORD gave His people instructions for the tabernacle and how to minister to Him constantly: “A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out.” (Leviticus 6:13)
God gave them the tabernacle as a pattern after heaven: “there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, ‘See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’” (Hebrews 8:4-5)
This leads me to the next point…
#3 - THE PATTERN OF HEAVEN
The model, precedent, and reality set in Heaven is one of perpetual worship - with instruments, prayer, and song:
“They do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty” (Revelation 4:8)
“The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song…” (Revelation 5:8)
Jesus prayed, and taught us to pray, for it to be “on earth as in heaven”. I think that statement means a lot, but one of the things it most certainly includes is the aspect of night and day worship. It is the LORD’s will and desire to have it be on earth as in heaven.
The epicenter of His Kingdom and His Government is a throne room with constant worship and prayer in response to a beautiful God. If we want to partner with Jesus and His Kingdom, this is the main way we do it. But not only is it the way we rule and reign with Him, it is the way we are truly satisfied in our deepest parts. This circles back to point #1 -- His beauty, glory, and worth is the primary reason we respond and it is the primary thing that satisfies our hearts with deep and eternal joy.
These are a few of the main reasons I think of in response to the question “Why Night and Day Worship and Prayer?” I look forward to the next blog where I dive into the next 4 points.
