A few passages of refection on how are the hands and feet of Jesus Christ, incarnation, on this earth.
"Arise, Jerusalem! Let Your light shine for all nations to see! For the glory of the LORD is shining upon you. Darkness as black as night will cover all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the LORD will shine over you! All nations will come to your light. Mighty kings will come to see your radiance." (Isaiah 60:1-3)
"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion 'Your God reigns!'" (Isaiah 52:7 TNIV)
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot...You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do pepole light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven!" (Matthew 5:13-16 TNIV)
I borrow this prayer from Clarissa Cox in her song, "Let Us Be You!"
Live in our hearts, fill this body.
Stir our spirits, help us serve,
Walk with our feet to the hurting,
Use our blessings to bring justice,
Let us be you, revive your church!
Let us be you on this earth.
Let us be you...when a wounded soul cries out for hope,
Let us be you...when the lonely need to know they're not alone!
Just as your stars pierced through the night,
Let us forever shine your light!
Let us be you, on this earth!
1.16.2006
The Prayer of a Missional Worshipper
I borrow today's [first] post from a worship prayer of St. Augustine.
"My whole heart I lay upon the altar of thy praise,
a whole-burnt offering of praise I offer to thee...
Let the flame of thy love...set on fire my whole heart,
let nought in me be left to myself,
nought wherein I may look to myself, but may I wholly burn towards thee,
Wholly be on fire toward thee, wholly love thee,
as though set on fire by thee."
"My whole heart I lay upon the altar of thy praise,
a whole-burnt offering of praise I offer to thee...
Let the flame of thy love...set on fire my whole heart,
let nought in me be left to myself,
nought wherein I may look to myself, but may I wholly burn towards thee,
Wholly be on fire toward thee, wholly love thee,
as though set on fire by thee."
1.15.2006
Missional Worship and Reflection, Part Two
Here is another thought to help us spend some time in reflection.
Author Marva Dawn has had her fair share of physical maladies in life…Limited exposure to light, and other physical handicaps.
She writes the following in an article on Worship to Form A Missional Community.
“One of the problems arising from many congregations’ emphasis on emotions is that it leaves out those who are at the moment struggling with the opposite feelings or encountering experiences that call those emotions into question. For example, if you tell me that I should get all excited about Jesus when I am battling with anger at God because of a new physical malady (my handicaps already seem legion!), your invitation will only make me more depressed. If, on the other hand, you show me some objective truth about God that can produce in me the hope for his presence in the midst of the new tribulation, then I might be able to move away from anger and into a more positive response.”
[REALLY LISTEN TO HER NEXT THOUGHT]
“That is why the content of our worship music and preaching must proclaim primarily the splendor of God, rather than our feelings about him. (I am not excluding feelings; they simply are not as important as the One whose splendor stirs them.)”
Do you have any thoughts about this article? I am going to try, key word being “try,” to do more things like this to help us think in a missional way about worship. Please take some time and spend it daily reflecting on worship and the mission of God…
Author Marva Dawn has had her fair share of physical maladies in life…Limited exposure to light, and other physical handicaps.
She writes the following in an article on Worship to Form A Missional Community.
“One of the problems arising from many congregations’ emphasis on emotions is that it leaves out those who are at the moment struggling with the opposite feelings or encountering experiences that call those emotions into question. For example, if you tell me that I should get all excited about Jesus when I am battling with anger at God because of a new physical malady (my handicaps already seem legion!), your invitation will only make me more depressed. If, on the other hand, you show me some objective truth about God that can produce in me the hope for his presence in the midst of the new tribulation, then I might be able to move away from anger and into a more positive response.”
[REALLY LISTEN TO HER NEXT THOUGHT]
“That is why the content of our worship music and preaching must proclaim primarily the splendor of God, rather than our feelings about him. (I am not excluding feelings; they simply are not as important as the One whose splendor stirs them.)”
Do you have any thoughts about this article? I am going to try, key word being “try,” to do more things like this to help us think in a missional way about worship. Please take some time and spend it daily reflecting on worship and the mission of God…
Missional Worship...Reflection, Part One
As I have spent considerable time over the last few days in preparing to speak at a worship conference next weekend, I have been immersed in thinking about, praying about, and discerning about mission and worship, as well as missional worship. I am increasingly convinced that we need to hold each other accountable to being committed to planning worship that not only spiritually shapes and forms disciples, but worship that equips God’s people, the body of Christ, to be the body, hands, feet, smile and words of Jesus Christ in the world, to be “players” or participants in the mission of God.
We need to be thinking about worship and worship planning in a more missional way.
How do we do this?
Songs? Prayers? Images? Fellowship? The Supper?
What kinds of words are we using in the assembly?
Are we missionally framing the opening and closing, the “welcoming” and “sending” portions of our assemblies?
Are we focusing on the table of the Lord as something that isn’t exclusive, but rather welcoming?
Is it understood by every worshipper in the church that a worship that equips people for participating in the mission of God is not merely contained in a few minutes a week within a building? But is rather a life of worship, living like Jesus did, talking to whom Jesus talked, and walking where Jesus walked…
Lord, may we look beyond ourselves and worship for sake of others, for the sake of the world. May we be shaped into your image so that we can live out what it means to be the body of Christ. May we discern what your will is for us as a worshipping community and what will help us to equip the body of Christ to participate in your mission. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
We need to be thinking about worship and worship planning in a more missional way.
How do we do this?
Songs? Prayers? Images? Fellowship? The Supper?
What kinds of words are we using in the assembly?
Are we missionally framing the opening and closing, the “welcoming” and “sending” portions of our assemblies?
Are we focusing on the table of the Lord as something that isn’t exclusive, but rather welcoming?
Is it understood by every worshipper in the church that a worship that equips people for participating in the mission of God is not merely contained in a few minutes a week within a building? But is rather a life of worship, living like Jesus did, talking to whom Jesus talked, and walking where Jesus walked…
Lord, may we look beyond ourselves and worship for sake of others, for the sake of the world. May we be shaped into your image so that we can live out what it means to be the body of Christ. May we discern what your will is for us as a worshipping community and what will help us to equip the body of Christ to participate in your mission. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
1.05.2006
Happy Thursday
Well, they did it...Those perennial non-big game-winning Texas Longhorns won the biggest game of all on the world-wide stage last night...Hook-em! And yes, I am wearing one of my 40+ articles of orange clothing today!
As Meghan and I sat watching the game last night, I was just amazed at how in control Vince Young was of the game and of his team...He is gonna make some NFL team VERY VERY happy in coming years.
Life is GREAT...Work is OK...Meghan is, to quote Wicked's wonderful wizard, "WONDERFUL!"
I am a blessed man!
Happy Thursday BLOG World!
As Meghan and I sat watching the game last night, I was just amazed at how in control Vince Young was of the game and of his team...He is gonna make some NFL team VERY VERY happy in coming years.
Life is GREAT...Work is OK...Meghan is, to quote Wicked's wonderful wizard, "WONDERFUL!"
I am a blessed man!
Happy Thursday BLOG World!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)