Louder
Shall the angels praise You louder than I? Shall the heavenly chorus of holy beings be more fervent than the strains of the redeemed? Shall those who endlessly cry, "Holy, holy, holy!" have a more grateful melody than I? Shall the glorious beings, blameless since creation and blameless until forever, worship You better than I? Shall those who long to peer into the things of the gospel raise their voices higher than mine? May it never be! Woe is me if I let them! I live and breathe by the things which they have never known! There is no mercy for angels! There is no grace for angels! There is no forgiveness for angels! There is no salvation for angels! There is no redemption for angels! There is no Christ crucified for angels! They have not been made an object of the surpassing riches of His grace in Christ! I have! They were not chosen before the foundation of the world to be saved! I have! They were not predestined to be adopted as sons! I have! They cannot cry, "Abba, Father!" I can, and I do! They are not sons of God! I am! They know You only as the God of holiness, justice, wrath, power, strength; I know You as the God of holiness, justice, wrath, power, strength, and as the God of lovingkindness, compassion, covenant-keeping, mercy, graciousness, condescension, love! How could I neglect so great a salvation?
Angels can not boast in the Lord like I can! I have been raised up with Christ to co-reign with Him; I will judge their kind! They shall not out-sing me; they have no mercy to sing of! They have no Savior to praise! I sing of Christ's grace, Christ's mercy, Christ's kindness, Christ's favor, Christ's blood, Christ's crucifixion, Christ' glory, not in abstract but in relationship — He died for me! Woe is me if I do not lift my voice in a thankfulness that they have never even imagined!
How good You are Father, to inspire praise in Your people's lips that is better than that of the angels. They are perfect and holy creations, meant to glorify You forever. And I will join them, giving You endless praise for the gospel of grace. You are worthy of all this praise, and more. O, hasten the day when people from every tribe and tongue and people and nation will cry, " Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns! Let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to Him!" Our voices shall sound like mighty peals of thunder, by Your grace, louder than even the angels'.
Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! How wide, long, high, deep, mind-blowing, knowledge-surpassing, worship-demanding is the love of God toward us in Christ Jesus! To Him be the glory forever! Amen!
[Prompted by the Scriptures below, and a quote, by a person that I do not remember, and of which I unfortunately cannot remember enough of to find]
Jeremiah 9:23-24 Romans 11:33-36 1 Corinthians 6:3 Ephesians 1:3-8 Ephesians 2:6-7 Ephesians 3:18-19 Galatians 4:6 Hebrews 2:1-3 1 Peter 1:12 Revelation 4:8 Revelation 5:9-10 Revelation 19:6-7