How do I honor God? It’s when I sing that He is God, and I am not. When things are going from good to great, or when they aren’t, I can’t help but acknowledge who He is and what He has done for me. God’s very character and nature demands this recognition, and it ceaselessly creates in me a divine hunger—a drive to abide in His will (even when it hurts), trust in His ways (even when it doesn’t make sense), and give praise for His works (in the times we should: when we feel like it and when we don’t feel like it).

In a disciple’s life, this is seen as personal prayer—a pursuit for intimacy with the One who loved us and still loves us at our worst. It is a desire to behold Him who stooped down to make us great. It is a seeking for fellowship and not just partnership. It is a drawing near for reasons other than needs. Prayer is both a time and place: a time for opening our whole being to know His holy presence, and a place for hearing His loving voice, “You are my son, my beloved one.” If only for that, it would all be worth it. Have you ever wondered why Jesus prayed so much?

Prayer also, I believe, is a posture of dependence; a bowing down to honor the Lord. It is when we treasure the words of His mouth more than our daily bread. To pray daily is to declare daily that apart from Christ we are nothing. To live a day devoid of the Bible and all or any manner of prayer is only one of three: ignorance, negligence, or a loud audacious statement saying, “God, I do not need you today; I’ll be ok. Maybe tomorrow or next time again.”

Sky Ramos serves as the Coordinator for Ministry Development of Victory Philippines. He is married to Fem and is a dad to Jedi and Kenshin.