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April 5, 2010 Read: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let Israel say: His love endures forever." The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: "The LORD's right hand has done mighty things! The LORD's right hand is lifted high; the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!" I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done. The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death. Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter. I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 Think About: When reading the first two verses of the Scripture passage, I immediately hear the song "Forever" by Chris Tomlin in my head. That's not surprising because music is a principal part of how I personally worship. But what is worship exactly? If you took a poll, you would probably get a variety of answers. The word "worship" comes from an old English word that has to do with honor and worth. When we worship God, we are honoring him, and true worship recognizes the worthiness of God. However, the English word used to express various Hebrew and Greek words used in the Bible doesn't always translate exactly the same meaning. Some of these Biblical words where worship is used have to do with actions of service, submission, ministering, and proclaiming truths in addition to an attitude of reverence. The words in the original languages of the Bible may broaden the boundaries of the mind and heart concerning what worship can be and where and when worshipping occurs. In the article "What is Worship?" by Lee Campbell, PhD, the author says: "As long as we are culturally bound to the unfortunate English word, 'worship,' we need to keep our understanding Biblical rather than anchored in church traditions. A worshipper must be a humble person who is willing to:
This week's APP is worship and when contemplating the practices on which we have been focused throughout Lent, one may find worship appropriate as the last APP, given that it seems a culmination of the other practices. Through study and scripture to help us understand the true nature of God, through obeying the command of the Sabbath, in the actions of service to others, and through humbling oneself to sincerely confess and forgive, we are worshipping our Most High God. Practice: This week's congregational challenge is to come back next week and invite a friend. The celebration of Easter continues! Now that we have celebrated the risen Lord of Easter, let us be renewed in the infinite gift of his sacrifice and continue to worship devotedly as a Christian community. Pray this Prayer: Lord, move us to truly worship you in both our attitudes of reverence and adoration and actions of humility and loving service to you, for only you are worthy of it. Amen. You are invited and encouraged to share your thoughts, feelings and experiences with the spiritual practices at the Lenten Devotional Blog. We are on this journey together and your words may help another along the way. Having problems viewing this page? Click here to view it online. Click here to be removed from the Lent Daily Devotions © 2010 St. Luke's United Methodist Church at Windermere |
