A Worship Night Became an Emotional and Spiritual Treasury
Last night I joined a few others for a worship night in the spiritual family I guide. I could wish more came, but that would be a different post. Besides, the right group came. I left richer for the time I spent worshiping with them.
Our evening of worship was focused on Psalm 100. We engaged with it through reading, singing, studying, and prayer. We discovered that the vibrant and passionate expressions of joy towards God found in the psalm—such as joyful shouting and singing—are rooted in an understanding of God's true identity. The psalmist clearly reveals who God is, stating that He is the genuine God, not a figment of imagination or a deceitful entity. The writer highlights several of God's roles: He is our creator, we are His, and He cares for and guides us like a shepherd. The poet continues by describing God's character: He is inherently good, loving, and reliable. Moreover, God's goodness, love, and trustworthiness are not occasional traits; they are constant aspects of His nature.
An Invitation to Turn the Knowing into a Giving Thanks
The more I explore the landscape of spiritual formation, I increasingly recognize the significance of converting what we know into action. Last night Psalm 100 got right up into my face and heart and asked me if I was willing to break out in songs and shouts of joy and praise because I trust that God is good, loving, and trustworthy is every situation. It demanded to know if the knowledge that I know about God was merely a subject for discussion or was being turned into a lifestyle of trust and praise. One of my takeaways was this simple reminder that I share with you: the theological and biblical concepts we are learning are meant to be integrated into our daily practices and lived out as part of our lifestyle. It is through the act of practicing that these ideas acquire their true transformative potential.
Now you know in a fresh way why I am inviting you to make the action of giving thanks a part of your day, This practice, which I have named Eucharist-O, is a playful adaptation of the Greek word eucharisteo, used by the gospel writer Luke to describe what Jesus did during the last supper with his companions. Before he made the ultimate sacrifice for our spiritual freedom, he took bread and eucharisteo — he expressed his thanks. This is your chance to practice the natural and profound way Jesus embodied gratitude, unaffected by the trials he faced.
The rhythm of this practice is simple:
First, a centering word about thankfulness and gratefulness
Second, a centering scripture
Third, an invitation to be still for a few moments before returning to the day’s activities.
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The Eucharist-O for Wednesday, November 13, 2024
First: A Centering Word
What to do: read Packer’s sentence three or four times. Pause and breath between each reading. Pay attention to what draws your attention. What are you seeing? What are you believing? What are you doubting?
Next: Read Psalm 9:10
What to do: Read the scripture words three or four times. Read slowly. Pause between reading. Pay attention to what is stirring inside of you. What are you seeing? What are you believing? What are you doubting? What are you feeling? What questions are being raised?
Next: Be Still
What to do: Before returning to your full day, sit in stillness for a few moments. Your soul and imagination were possibly drawn to a word by Packer or by the author of Psalm 9. Perhaps you were drawn to a moment in your life where you regret not being thankful. Maybe you were drawn to a situation that seemed too hard for you. Wherever you were drawn, be there for a few moments. Pay attention to the stirrings deep within, the questions that are forming, the words that want to be spoken. Give your soul the gift of a few moments of stillness to let memories, questions, words, and prayers form.
Before returning to your day, let what is stirring inside become a conversation with God. The conversation, whatever its mood, is a form of prayer and communication with God who has been waiting for this moment all day.
Eucharist-O