4.10.2026 - Anneke de Jong
Friday, April 10, 2026
This week’s devotionals were written by Anneke de Jong, a member of Visalia CRC. A lifetime of studying the Bible has given me a deep love for God’s Word and a heart for helping others grow in biblical literacy. My husband and I raised four sons, and we now enjoy watching their families grow. When I’m not with our grandkids, you can find me at our goat dairy in Hanford, CA.
As you come to your time with God today, pause for a moment of silence before beginning with this prayer:
Holy, Holy, Holy are you Lord God Almighty - who was, and is, and is to come.
Open my eyes, that I may see you. Open my ears, that I may hear you.
Open my heart, that I may know you and love you more and more each day.
Amen
Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!
So begins the classic hymn that has been running through my head as I’ve been writing these devotionals. The words we use to worship God shape and form our understanding of who He is, and I want to use the words of this hymn to guide our devotion time today.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!
God in the three Persons, blessed trinity!
This remarkable hymn was written by Reginald Heber, an English parish priest, in the early 1800s. Heber was a gifted poet who skillfully wove together the words of Scripture to create a rich song of worship to our holy God. But the words he penned were not new. They have been sung by the seraphim since time began.
“Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night, they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8)
The repetition of holy, holy, holy makes an important declaration about the holiness of God. God is not just holy, nor is he holy, holy. Rather, God is a holy, holy, holy God - the most holy God. No one or nothing is holier than God.
He was, and is, and is to come - the I AM Moses that encountered in Exodus 3. The eternal, everlasting God.
Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea.
Cherubim and seraphim, falling down before thee,
Who was and is and evermore shall be.
These words also come from Revelation 4.
“Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
“‘You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created,
and have their being.’” (Revelation 4:9-11)
Can you visualize the scene–this glorious picture of God’s people worshipping together? The twenty-four elders are said to represent the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles. In other words, the entirety of God’s chosen people is bowing in worship before their Creator, the Holy One who lives for ever and ever. (Notice how that’s also repeated?)
Just imagine the day when you and I will join them! When we will lay down our crowns, our achievements, and our gratitude at God’s feet. All too aware that nothing we bring will ever compare to the glory of our most holy God.
Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
Perfect in pow'r, in love, and purity.
Right now, we do not have the same unobstructed view of God as the seraphim and other spiritual beings. Nor do we have the vision of Isaiah, Ezekiel, and John. Paul says that currently we “only see a reflection” and we “only know in part.” (1 Corinthians 13:12). The sin and brokenness of this world hide the fullness of God’s glory from us, and we cannot fully comprehend who He is. But every glimmer and every glimpse we do get, gives us a foretaste of that future day when we will see him face to face in all his glory!
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity.
It’s not just seraphim and heavenly beings who worship God in his holiness. Psalm 19 tells us that all of creation does too. The psalm begins with these words: “The heavens declare the glory of God. The skies proclaim the work of his hands,” before showing all the ways that creation around us proclaims God and His glory. All the works of God, everything that He has made, praise His holy name!
Day and night, the spiritual beings in heaven declare that God is holy, and all the earth proclaims God’s holy name. How much more shouldn’t we, created in the image of God, proclaim his holiness with our heartfelt worship day and night, forever and ever?
In what ways do you worship God? How does your worship shape and form your understanding of who God is?
Take some time today to worship God with your favorite hymn, psalm or song.
My favorite version of “Holy, Holy, Holy!" is performed by the artists Shane and Shane. Look it up as you close this week of giving God praise for his holiness!