Category: worship

Sabbath: A Time for Rest


Return, O my soul, to your rest;
    for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
(Psalm 116:7 ESV)

Trinity Episcopal Church, Van Cleef Lake, NY

What comes to mind when you think of the Sabbath? Do you think of God resting on the seventh day? Do you think of going to church to worship God with other believers? Do you think of resting from work? Words like Sabbath, worship, quiet time and rest, raise expectations that we and others have placed on them.


To be honest I never thought of having a quiet time on a Sunday, because I practice other ways of worshiping God on that day, such as Bible classes, praying together and corporate worship services. Some Sundays, I would like to define rest literally and stay in bed. 


I often take an extra Sabbath on Mondays, since most Sundays are full with church and family gatherings. To me Sabbath is a time to cease regular work and just be with God; no agenda driving the day.

In 30 Ways to Wake Up Your Quiet Time, Pam Farrel surprised me with actual ideas of how to have a quiet time on a Sunday, as well as ways to incorporate the sermon experience into your daily devotions:

Sunday can be a challenging day to have quiet times. Often in the rush of getting to church, we forget to meet with God! 

Try getting . . . early to church. Sit quietly in the pew and pray that God will meet you and the others who come. 

Bring a small gift of encouragement or a card telling one of the ministries at church that you appreciate them and are praying for them.

Sermons can become a springboard for personal devotions.

Use sermon notes for quiet times to review how God might want you to apply the sermon to your everyday life.

During the sermon write down questions about topics you’d like to learn more about or thoughts you’d like to consider in a deeper manner at a later quiet time.

Use the prayer list…to pray for others in your church. Or pray through the church’s calendar.

Use traditional liturgies and prayers…

Allow Jesus to pastor you each Sunday as you connect to him.

©Pam Farrel from 30 Ways to Wake Up Your Quiet Time (IVP). For more devotional books by Pam http://www.Love-wise.com


What does Sabbath mean to you?

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Posture: The Attitude A Person Has Toward a Subject

Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;
for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.
(Psalm 95:6-7 NIV)

What posture do you most often use when you approach God? I often sit in His presence. Kneeling, bowing and prostrating myself before Him are rare postures. I am expressive, so in worship I will raise my hands, but not everyone feels comfortable being demonstrative in these ways.

So why would we change our posture during our quiet time? I think the definition of posture gives us a clue. My attitude toward God can become casual, when I sit in my chair day after day. But when I change my posture, I have to think about the position and how I am presenting myself before God. Kneeling, bowing, opening my hands in surrender and laying myself out flat before God, each represent various levels of humility. I find that kneeling tends to make me feel more serious before God. 

In some of my most desperate times I have placed myself flat on the floor, just being still before God, especially when I don’t have the words to pray.

Pam Farrel asserts “Praying in a position that is not the norm for you can change your heart, not just your body position.” 

©Pam Farrel from 30 Ways to Wake Up Your Quiet Time (IVP). For more devotional books by Pam http://www.Love-wise.com


How do you think your posture changes your heart? Do you find it difficult to change positions before God? Are you willing to take the lower position to give God the higher glory?


Linking up with Soli Deo Gloria Party
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Guest Poem from Jody Lee Collins


Blessed are the chosen!
Blessed the guest
at home in your place!
We expect our fill of good things
in your house, your heavenly manse.
(Psalm 65:4 The Message)
 
 
Jody has made me feel at home in the blog world and as a Christian sister and friend. Welcome her here today and visit her blog, Three Way Light.

Jody also writes poetry.  Come get your fill of good things! She has two spots to read her poems:
 
 
 
As have we travelled from Sunday to Monday, why not sabbath a little bit longer with her latest poem: 
 
 
The still pavement
holds layers of light movement,
life aloft,
like comforting down
on this different, slow day.
 
(Read the rest of the poem here.)
 
2013 Copyright. All Rights Reserved. Sunday Streets by Jody Lee Collins.
 
 
 
If you are looking for a place where poets gather to share their voices, Jody recommends DVerse-Poets Pub.
 
 

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The Land of Uz

 
“Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God.”
 (Matthew 5:8 ESV)
 
 

When I read the opening words of Job’s story, I hear a faint echo of “Once Upon a Time . . .”

“There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright one who feared God and turned away from evil.” (Job 1:1 ESV)

The narrative continues with exposition, revealing the details of Job’s family, possessions, stature in the community and daily routines, including his religious practices.

And then the scene shifts with cinematic flair, we are ushered into a heavenly scene. The curtain is pulled back and the audience is given information that informs the reader, but as far as we know is withheld from the characters in the unfolding drama. It’s as if the author (ultimately God) knew that the impending misery would be too hard for the reader to bear. We needed a glimpse backstage to see how this tragedy unfolds under the sovereign care of the Creator.

That scene fades. In the next scene, we observe Job going about his usual business. Then wave after wave of tragic news arrives through servant messengers. Job tears his robes, shaves his head and he worships. He mourns, yet he does not sin.

Satan, the behind the scenes agent of misery and death, approaches Job’s Creator again. Satan’s intent is to see Job curse God. God says, my Job, he’s up to the test. Send the physical pain, but spare his life.
 
Satan takes his cue and gladly strikes Job with “loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.” (Job 2:7 ESV) Job sits down in his misery and starts scraping at the sores with a piece of broken pottery. His wife comes to console him, “Curse God and die.” Job answers with integrity, “Foolish woman! Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:9-10 ESV) Again Job maintains his cool. He does not sin with his words.

Three friends from surrounding villages hear of Job’s calamity, and come to comfort him. They sit in silence with him for seven days and seven nights. Job laments. He curses the day of his birth: “Behold, let that night be barren; let no joyful cry enter it.” (Job 3:7 ESV).
 
What a contrast to the birth we recall in Bethlehem, but that’s for later. Joy will come in the morning, even as a child is born unto us in Bethlehem.
 
Although the word, joy, is recorded in the book of Job several times in the NIV, most of the time Job mentions it sarcastically or his friends misapply the concept. It’s not until Job meets his Maker, that a deeper joy, marked by humility and wonder enters the scene.

(Come back tomorrow, and we’ll see how the story ends. Will they live happily ever after? How will joy be restored?)
Posted on by kelrohlf 0

Give Presence

Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,
for they will walk in the light of your presence, LORD.
(Psalm 89:15 NLT)

“…worship without an awareness of Christ is impossible…For to behold Him is to love Him, and to love Him is to worship Him.”   -Judson Cornwall

At this time of year I love to think about presents. Not my wish list, but what presents I want to give. To me a tangible gift is an expression of love. Nowadays as the kids in my family are growing up I could make one stop at Walgreen’s and buy a bunch of gift cards. But that is so dissatisfying to me. I enjoy thinking about and finding that one thing that will give the receiver a lift, or say she thought about me.

Another gift that people often overlook is the gift of presence. Since I have been fairly occupied with school this semester, I have missed spending time with my family and friends, so my gifts this year may not come from a store, so much as just some time to be together. Taking a walk, grabbing a cup of coffee, sitting on the couch together watching a Christmas movie…these are the things I long to give this year.

Jesus modeled this gift the best. After all, He is Immanuel! I found a different translation, other than the familiar “God with Us”; it also means “With us is God”. Somehow that phrasing warms my heart.

I wanted to leave you with a website to check out, a pastor friend of ours recommended it, and I think you will enjoy its message and the ideas that lead us to a deeper advent experience. Check out http://www.adventconspiracy.com/

I hope you have many opportunities to give presence this Christmas!

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