Forever I will sing the Praises of God!

Forever I will sing the Praises of God!

It isn’t as though Christians do not give praise to God but the question that arises is one that may trouble the many who forgot what praise is all about.  

Praise is the form of prayer which recognizes most immediately that God is God.  It lauds God for his own sake and gives him glory, quite beyond what he does, but simply because HE IS.  It shares in the blessed happiness of the pure of heart who love God in faith before seeing him in glory.  By praise, the Spirit is joined to our spirits to bear witness that we are children of God, testifying to the only Son in whom we are adopted and by whom we glorify the Father.  Praise embraces the other forms of prayer and carries them toward him who is its source and goal: the “One God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist.”  (CCC 2639).

The final doxology, “For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever,” takes up again, by inclusion, the first three petitions to our Father: the glorification of his name, the coming of his reign, and the power of his saving will.  But these prayers are now proclaimed as adoration and thanksgiving, as in the liturgy of heaven.  The ruler of this world has mendaciously attributed to himself the three titles of kingship, power, and glory.  Christ, the Lord, restores them to his Father and our Father, until he hands over the kingdom to him when the mystery of salvation will be brought to its completion and God will be all in all.  (CCC 2855).

Many groups of praying Christians unanimously sing praise to God giving him their full-throated expanse to his glory; and after the prayers are over there might be some who will continue the praise of God in their hearts and souls.  We should all attempt to keep that effort even when we are away from the group.  Here is where the praise to God should never cease.

God created us to be with him in eternity and to share in his glory as we continue to thank him in his glory forever.  

In front of the throne was something that resembled a sea of glass like crystal.  In the center and around the throne there were four living creatures.  Day and night they do not stop exclaiming: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.”  The words are then heard; “Worthy are you, Lord our God, to receive glory  and honor and power, for you created all things; because of your will they came to be and were created.”  (Rv 4: 6, 8b, 11).

Before, during, and into the future of our creation God will stand as the one Holy and Forever Trinity that deserves to be given praise and honor forever and ever.  

Ralph B. Hathaway