Praising Him In Advance

Matthew 2:10 "When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy." KJV

Pastor Marvin Sapp sings "Praise Him In Advance"

When the kings went searching for the Christ child, they only had past scripture to guide them.  They only had some pretty sketchy details from the prophets of old.  One thing they did know was that a star would guide them.  Imagine their joy when they realized that it was their generation who would get to see the future King of the Jews, the future ruler of Israel.  It took two years of traveling to finally reach their destination.  Two years of camel riding.  Two years of searching.  Two years of watching the night sky.  Yet they knew, with every fiber of their being, that nothing was more important than seeing this child.

It is worth noting that before they ever laid eyes on Him, they were ready to worship Him.  Before they bowed down before Him, they were ready to risk everything to see Him.  Before they left for their long journey, they made sure they carried gifts for Him.  Before they even got down from their camels, they were rejoicing at just the knowledge that they were going to meet Him.

 In advance, they learned.  In advance, they prepared.  In advance, they rejoiced. In advance, they worshiped.

He was only a child.  He had done nothing worth noting.  He probably was barely walking and talking.  He probably hid behind His mother's skirt when they came.  He probably wanted to play with the containers the gold came in instead of being impressed by the gold.  He definitely had no idea who they were or that they were their to worship Him.  

None of this mattered to the wise men.  They didn't need Him to perform a  miracle.  They didn't need Him to heal the sick.  They didn't need Him to bless them. They just needed to praise Him.  To worship Him.  To give Him all that they had.  To do anything and everything to see Him.  Just as Anna and Simeon (Luke 2:34-36) knew in advance that He was the one.  Knew in advance that their lives weren't complete until they had seen Him, worshiped Him.  

Like the wise men, like Anna, like Simeon, we are called to learn all about Him before we meet Him.  We should know the signs that will signal His coming.  We should carry the gifts we want to give Him with us at all times.  We should be willing to give up everything to be where He needs us to be at the time He needs us to be there.  We should be so close to His Holy Spirit that we know His voice when we hear it, keeping us free from danger or letting us be blessed in ways we can only imagine.  We need to be willing to praise Him in advance.  Praise Him in the good times.  Praise Him when the darkness covers us.  Praise Him no matter what lies before us.  Praise Him because we know, no matter what, that "whether we live, we live unto the Lord, and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's."Romans 14:8 KJV 

Dearest Father God, We come before You this day asking for Your blessings on our lives.  We pray that we might be always in tune with Your Holy Spirit.  We pray that we might praise You in advance.  Let us never forget that, whether we are dancing with joy or sobbing in heartache, You are right there beside us.  You will never leave us.  We are Your treasures.  Thank You for every chance we have to worship You.  In the name of Your most precious Son, Christ Jesus, Amen