PRAISE HIM HERE LIKE YOU WILL PRAISE HIM THERE

I have consigned myself to the fact that I am a creature of habit.  I do the same thing at the same time every week.  Case in point, every Wednesday, I stop by the church before I go to work for a time of quiet prayer. Then take the cloths to the cleaners, hit the flea market at the cattle barn and then sometime around 9 o'clock make it to work. 

I did that again this week.  The weather was great and as I walked into the sanctuary I noticed how quite it was.  No TV's or radios blaring, no one needing anything, just peaceful and quiet.  I walked down the center isle and noticed that through the window on the East side of the church a beam of sunlight shone through and fell across the altar.  It happened to be in the exact spot where I usually kneel. 

I dropped down on my knees and begin to talk to the Father.  There were several things that I wanted to thank Him for and praise Him for today.

• Our pastor's mom had been miraculously healed and instead of the prediction from the doctors that she had only a month to live, she was now back home doing great. 
• Matt's mom had been in a coma for a week from unknown causes and after much prayer had come out of the coma with a clear mind and doing well.
• A hectic situation at work in which I had lost my employee and had to quickly find another had been rectified
• A financial situation had been satisfied

So I knelt there quietly and under my breath I thanked God and I said "I praise You Lord" and then I stopped......

Was I really praising Him? 

Is this the way praise looks?

Is this the way praise sounds?

The thought came to my mind.  I should be praising Him now like I will be praising Him when I get to heaven.

My attitude on this side of the river should be the same as it will be when I get to the other side of the river.

Praying by faith if praying as if the prayer has ALREADY been answered.

Praising by faith is praising as if you have already received. 

Oh, I'm aware that many times all the praying and praising I can do is to bow quietly in God's presence and weep.  I know that sometimes just to "be still and know" that He is God is what He desires....but there are times we need to be verbal about our praise and our prayers.  There is a place for passion. 

When I stand in that place, before God the Father and Jesus the Son, with the Holy Spirit of God saturating the atmosphere, I don't know how I will behave.  But if I will shout then, I should shout now.  If I will cry then, I should cry now.  If I will praise then and there, surely I should praise Him here and now.