The interweaving of praise and prayer is a marvellous thing.

In the hiding place of prayer, a symphony is playing, harmonising with heaven’s choirs.

“Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.” (Psalm 32:7 KJV)

The language of prayer does not reside in the realms of time. We thank God for answers before we even embark upon the asking. We call things that are not yet, as though they are our present possession.

We watch for the solutions before the first supplication spills from our lips.

Thanksgiving is so integral to the process and practice of prayer that the two are irreversibly mixed.

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Philippians 4:6 KJV)

“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;” (Colossians 4:2 KJV)

How powerful this faith reality we have been invited to enjoy – experiencing the substance of thing before we even see it.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 KJV)

I am overwhelmed even to write these words and my heart stings with regret for all that I have not yet been thankful for. So familiar are my blessings I pass them by almost every moment of the day.

How much will the Father give? As much as we will believe Him for!

He places no boundary on our asking. In “every thing” let your requests be known.

And in the asking we speed the requests to His hand on the brisk wings of thankful song. New songs and old billow from a soul filled with gratitude.

Some of my favourite verses on prayer in the whole of Scripture speak of this delightful duet:

“What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” (1 Corinthians 14:15 KJV)

Praying and singing. Praying and singing.

Asking and thanking.

Asking and thanking.

How much can you thank God for that you already hold in your hand? Retrospective gratitude is powerful indeed. But how much more can we embrace as we learn to thank El Shaddai, the God of more-than-enough, for all that’s yet to come?

Your prayers and your songs lift you to a place where past, present, and future bleed into one. Encompassed in eternity your requests and thanksgiving take fast hold of future realities.

“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” (Isaiah 57:15 KJV)

God’s habitation does not live by the natural rules we are accustomed to. He steps outside of time and space and invites us to do the same. This time-busting, realm-leaping, eternity-dwelling practice is called prayer!

Now that is something worth singing about!