Furthermore, you cannot truly admire a God whose nature and character you do not know. Therefore, a compelling adjunct for rewarding sessions of adoration is a constant study of God’s word and meditation on God’s word as espoused in the Holy scriptures. Be eager for God’s manifest presence more than His presents. Relish a loving fellowship with God—more than asking for things. Adoration is holding ourselves steady so that the Lord’s reflection can fall on us.
Remaining still before the Lord is the secret. But keeping still is a problem for many Christians in these frantic and frenetic days when people seem troubled. Furthermore, note that the process of adoration is an additional daily spiritual exercise to your daily acts of devotions—worship and prayers.
(4) Benefits of Adoration
Note carefully — “Adoring/magnifying” God is exclusively to our benefit. We can do nothing to add to God’s image or make Him bigger. God is transcendent. He alone is self-existent, self-sufficient, eternal, and in need of nothing outside of Himself. Christian theism is distinct from all forms of dualism, pantheism, or polytheism. Gazing on God produces not only reflection, but also transformation. A Christian is transformed into the image upon which he gazes. As you do your part by keeping still in adoring contemplation of God, and see Him as the great object of adoring love, the Holy spirit who lives inside us does the rest. In this age the transformation is effortless, progressive and partial. But when Christ returns, we will see Him face to face, and our transformation will be complete.
The stillness of the spirit during adoration leads to a consciousness of the manifest presence of God; it leads to seeing God’s glory. It often leads to revelation. Adoring contemplation leads to growing in holiness as we grow in the steadiness and fixity of our gazing. Holiness is not something achieved, but something that is received. When we gaze, God invades.
Adoration takes our minds off our problems and shortcomings, and focuses them on God. It lifts our perspective from the earthly to the heavenly. Being aware of God’s love is a great motivator for change. His love is not given in exchange for our efforts, his love frees us to really live. Have you accepted that love? Adoration stimulates our resolve to abide in Jesus Christ.
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