Then I (King Nebuchadnezzar) praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.
His dominion is an eternal dominion;
His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing.
He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven
And the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand
Or say to him: “What have you done?”
Daniel 4:34-35 (NIV)
“To adore” means to love and respect someone deeply. But, when it comes to God, “to adore” takes on its highest meaning, “to worship.” Consider the following explanation. We might admire someone who walks a tightrope between two skyscrapers, idolize a rock star (American Idol), adore our mothers, revere a person like George Washington, but we worship the Lord Almighty.
- Admire suggests a feeling of delight and enthusiastic appreciation.
- Adore implies the tenderness and warmth of unquestioning love.
- Idolize is an extreme form of adoration, suggesting a slavish, helpless love.
- We revere individuals that command our respect for their accomplishments or attributes.
- Worship connotes an excessive and uncritical respect.
The Bible is full of prayers of adoration, prayers of worship., prayers of an excessive and uncritical respect and devotion to God. Here, Nebuchadnezzar praises God for his eternal dominion, his glorious accomplishments and power, and his endless attributes. As we begin February, a month devoted to prayer, let’s spend some time adoring God. Take time today to worship him in your heart, to utter his praises, to sing of his glory with the lips of your heart. Use some of the following biblical passages to get you started, and then let the Holy Spirit move your soul.
Daniel 4:34-35
Revelation 4-5
Psalm 103
Psalm 19
2 Samuel 22
2 Chronicles 6:14-15
