Adoration

The following is a summary of writings taken from Carol J. Ruvolo's book entitled Before the Throne of God: Focus on Prayer (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R, 1999). This summary is taken from pages 54-55 of that book, which is a chapter written to guide our thoughts when we go to "ADORE" God in our prayers..


As we pursue the stillness of open-Book prayer, we become better acquainted with our heavenly Father. What we learn in the Bible about Him drives us to worship. God reveals Himself to us as

the Creator (Genesis 1-2),
who fills heaven and earth (Jeremiah 23:24);
as the Lord God of hosts (Romans 9:29),
who is present and near (Psalm 139:7);
and as the God who provides (Genesis 22:14),
heals (Deuteronomy 32:39),
and sanctifies (Exodus 31:13).
Moreover, He offers Himself as our banner (Exodus 17:15),
our peace (Heb. 13:20),
and our shepherd (Psalm 23).

The Psalms describe God as
“great … above all gods” (135:5)
in whom no evil dwells (5:4).
They say He is “resplendent” (76:4),
righteous (71:13).
They tell us He is “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness” (103:8),
“clothed in splendor and majesty, covering [Him]self with light as with a cloak” (104:1-2).
On a more personal note, they own Him as “my strength and song … [who] has become my salvation” (118:14).
“my stronghold” (62:2),
“a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head” (3:3),
“my hope [and] … confidence” (71:5),
and “our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (46:1).

God reveals even more of Himself as He allows us to listen while He demands of a petulant Job,
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth!” (Job 38:4);
or declares to an awe-filled Moses, “No man can see Me and live!” (Exodus 33:20);
or reminds King Asa, “The eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His” (2 Chronicles 16:9).

The prophet Isaiah exclaims:
To whom then will you liken God?
Or what likeness will you compare with Him? ...
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the
ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is inscrutable.
He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power. (40:18, 28-29)

And Jeremiah proclaims:
There is none like Thee, O LORD;
Thou art great, and great is Thy name in might...
But the LORD is the true God;
He is the living God and the everlasting King.
At His wrath the earth quakes,
And the nations cannot endure His indignation.(10: 6, 10)

"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.
The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man’s spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God…
That our idea of God correspond as nearly as possible to the true being of God is of immense importance to us….I believe there is scarcely an error in doctrine or a failure in applying Christian ethics that cannot be traced finally to imperfect and ignoble thoughts about God."

--A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1961), vii.