Worship With Request

I've been thinking alot about worshiping God
without making requests from Him.
I think I am finally getting an understanding
about what adoration is all about.

But now,
I've been reading in Matthew,
and everything I read portrays worship WITH request.

Matt. 8 records the story of the leper.
He came and worshiped Jesus and said,
"Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."
Jesus said, "I am willing. Be clean."
And the leper lost his old identity and gained a new one.

Matt. 9 records the story of Jarius's daughter.
Jarius was a leader in the local synagogue.
He came to Jesus and worshiped Him,
saying, "My daughter has just died,
but if You come and lay Your hand on her,
she will live."
And that's just what happened.

Then I thought about The Lord's Prayer.
It starts out with worship.

"Our Father, which art in Heaven.
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
on earth as it is in Heaven."

Then come the requests.

"Give us this day our daily bread."
Feed us. Take care of our needs.

"And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors."
Forgive us as we forgive others.

"And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil."
Keep us from getting ourselves
into trouble, and keep us from
the troubles caused by evil.

And here comes Worship again.
"For thine is the Kingdom,
and the Power,
and the Glory,
forever. Amen."

A Worship Sandwich.
Worship.
Request.
Worship.

But why the requests
for Provision,
Pardon,
and Protection?

Because His is the Kingdom.
We ask because He is the King.
And the King is also Our Father.

Could it be,
that our very requests
are also worship;
a proclaiming of who He is?

Like the leper,
we worship,
and request for cleansing,
because He Is the Cleanser
and the Changer of our Identity.

Like Jarius,
we worship,
and request a miracle
because He is our Hope for life
and without Him
we have none.

Adoration,
for Who He is.

Worship, for Who He is
and What He may do.

Praise, for what He has done,
and Who He has been in our lives.

Thanksgiving,
for answering our prayers.

Worship,
with Requests,
Is Worship.

Holy, Holy God.