Come Again by Susan Barclay

 

What Jesus says...

In January, I talked about how God's invitation to me this year was to "come and worship." I planned to start reading a 30-day devotional by Adam Palmer based on the Tim Hughes' song Here I Am to Worship. I planned to do a 7-week workbook by David Sherbino called Reconnect: Spiritual Exercises to Develop Intimacy with God. I planned to start the day with worship music, scripture, and prayer. 

How did all this planning pan out?

Not so well, honestly. I completed the 30-day devotional, but didn't get far with Sherbino's book. I started the day with music, the Word, and prayer...for about two-and-a-half months. I forget what happened mid-March, but something got in the way of my routine and I never regained my footing.

One thing I read in the first month was John Piper's definition of worship on the Desiring God website. He says,

 The inner essence of worship is to know God truly and then respond from the heart to that knowledge by valuing God, treasuring God, prizing God, enjoying God, being satisfied with God above all earthly things. And then that deep, restful, joyful satisfaction in God overflows in demonstrable acts of praise from the lips and demonstrable acts of love in serving others for the sake of Christ.”

From this I discerned the following "action steps":

1. be in His Word and spend time with Him in prayer, silence and solitude so that I get to know Him (experience Him, hear from Him, gain a better understanding of His character and what He wants/desires/expects of me);
   
2. value, treasure, prize, enjoy God, and put Him before anyone and anything else; 
3. praise Him with my words and songs; 
4. serve others in Jesus’s Name. 

This year, it's been hard for me to experience silence and solitude. It's been hard to enjoy God and put Him first. I've been sporadic in Bible-reading, more consistent in prayer, certainly able to praise and worship Him in word and song. I've spent a lot of time serving others, whether in Jesus's Name or not, I can't say, but only in His strength and with His ability to persevere. I have not always served with patience and a smile. Trials, struggles, and the demands of life, however, have set my face toward the cross and drawn me closer to God. I cannot do without Him.

I'm thankful that when He says, "Come, now is the time to worship," and I then fail in my efforts, I am not defined by my failure. "In Christ, [my] failure can redefine [me]" (Don Miller, quoted in Emily Freeman's Grace for the Good Girl). When I fall short of my own expectations, Jesus reminds me that He still loves me. He invites me to come again, to lift every burden in His presence and to receive His mercy and peace. How can I refuse such kindness?

Lord, I come. I come again.

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For more about Susan Barclay and her writing, please visit www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com

Come, Now is the Time to Worship by Susan Barclay

 

"Come, now is the time to worship." This is God's personal invitation to me this year. 

As I was considering a word for 2022, the word 'worship' popped into my mind. I've been wanting to draw closer to God, to deepen my relationship with Him, and I believe the Holy Spirit inspired the realization that worship is the way to do it. He is looking for those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24) and I want to be one of those He finds so engaged.

An online friend has shared that she's "spent the last 2 years on my face in worship getting wrecked by the Holy Spirit in my quiet time letting Him transform MY HEART." As she's described her communion with the Lord, stating "His presence changes everything," I have to admit I've felt a little envious. I mean, I know we're not supposed to covet, but I want that. I want the Lord to change my heart as I spend time with Him. I want to meet with Him, have intimacy with Him, become more like Him. I want the Potter to take this clay and form it (Isaiah 64:8). I want the Refiner to take this lump of metal and purify it (Malachi 3:3). He will always make something beautiful.

As I write this (late December 2021), I'm still in the early stages of figuring out how to worship the God of the Universe, the King of Creation, the Lord of Lords. What that might look like. I'm sure in the course of time, He Himself will teach me. For now, on January 1, I plan to start reading a 30-day devotional by Adam Palmer based on the Tim Hughes' song Here I Am to Worship. I plan to start a 7-week workbook by David Sherbino called Reconnect: Spiritual Exercises to Develop Intimacy with God. I plan to start the day with worship music, scripture, and prayer, perhaps even on my face as my friend Jennifer does. Posture is important I've heard.

In whatever ways God is inviting us to share our days and year with Him, may He find us willing to say yes and amen even though we don't (and can't) know where it all might lead. As Mary responded to God's message about bearing the Son, may we answer His bidding with the words "I am the Lord's servant" (Luke 1:38). 

In the midst of my personal challenges, the difficulties of life in general, and the current state of the world, now is my time to worship. Lord, I come.

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For more about Susan Barclay and her writing, please visit www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence by Joylene M. Bailey

Image by janeb13 from Pixabay 

There is no way I could possibly come up with a favourite Christmas carol. I love most of them, as I mentioned here, in a former Christmas post.

But there is one carol that has been echoing through my mind for weeks now, especially the first line:

Let all mortal flesh keep silence.

The haunting, chant-like tune wafts ethereally through my thoughts at least once a day, and I ask my Father, what are You trying to tell me? Help me to grasp it.

It's in keeping with a theme that has been predominant in my life for several months now; a singular ribbon woven in and out of my daily-ness: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name. 

To make a long story short: two sermon series on the Lord's prayer, and two books (I highly recommend them) have focused me in one direction: God's holiness. Yahweh. I Am.

                 

Interestingly, the lyrics of the hymn are based on a part of the Liturgy of St. James, an ancient liturgy believed to have roots in the ministry of the Apostle James in Jerusalem.

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"The Liturgy of St. James includes a Communion rite with a vivid and memorable text, chanted by the priest before the bread and wine are presented ... The text draws in part from Habakkuk 2:20: “The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.”   Find the link here.

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They were translated into English from the original Greek by Gerard Moultrie, first published in 1864 in England, and entitled "Prayer of the Cherubic Hymn."

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The text expresses awe at Christ's coming (st. 1) and the mystery of our perception of Christ in the body and blood (st. 2). With images from Isaiah 6 and Revelation 5, it portrays the glory of Christ (sung to by angels) and his victory over sin (st. 3-4). Although it has eucharistic emphasis, the text pictures the nativity of Christ in a majestic manner and in a much larger context than just his birth in Bethlehem. We are drawn into the awe and mystery with our own alleluias." Find the link here.

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"We are drawn into the awe and mystery ..."

We are also drawn into the awe and mystery by the tune, which was not paired with the lyrics until 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams. The melody was originally a French Traditional Carol and some scholars believe it dates back as far as the seventeenth century.

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Dr. Ralph Vaughan Williams, with his usual genius for finding a suitable tune to accompany a text, set Moultrie’s hymn to the tune PICARDY, a tune which greatly helps to enhance the hymn’s expression of the sense of awe and mystery we experience in the Eucharist where, in ways beyond our comprehension, our Lord comes “from the realms of endless day” to be present with us “with blessing in his hand.” Text and music together provide a memorable description of the Eucharist as a “window” through which, for a brief moment, we may glimpse the eternal praise and worship offered by “the host of heaven” Find the link here.

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Awe, mystery. That's often what prompts silence, isn't it? Put that together with a newborn ... 

Think about it, when have you ever witnessed someone walking into a new baby's nursery with loud voices and clamouring noises? We don't. We enter the room hushed and on tiptoe. There is wonder as we look down on tiny clenched fists and soundly sleeping face. We watch the little chest rise and fall.

I think of the rough, unpolished shepherds coming into the stable. Hushed, in awe. Because they knew this wasn't any baby. This was THE baby. What a holy moment that must have been. Could they take it all in? Can I?

For many of us, this Christmas will already be quieter. Perhaps not of our own choice. But maybe this is an opportunity to gaze with awe on a Holy God in the form of a human infant. God With Us. Emmanuel.

God. With us. 

Keep silence. Take it in. 

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Below is a version of the song on YouTube. If you can't view/hear it from here, please take the time to find it online somewhere. 

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,

and with fear and trembling stand;

ponder nothing earthly-minded,

for with blessing in his hand,

Christ our God to earth descendeth,

our full homage to demand. 

    

    King of kings, yet born of Mary,

as of old on earth he stood,

Lord of lords, in human vesture,

in the body and the blood,

he will give to all the faithful

his own self for heav'nly food.

    Rank on rank the host of heaven

spreads its vanguard on the way,

as the Light of light descendeth

from the realms of endless day,

that the pow'rs of hell may vanish

as the darkness clears away. 

    At his feet the six-winged seraph,

cherubim, with sleepless eye,

veil their faces to the presence,

as with ceaseless voice they cry,

"Alleluia, alleluia,

alleluia, Lord Most High!"

************ 

 

Joy will be spending Christmas at home in Edmonton with The Cowboy, Babe, and a snowman named Jubal, instead of the usual crowd of kids and grandkids. It will be a quieter Christmas, but she's looking forward to it. Find more of her joy-infused take on the world at Scraps of Joy.

 

Awakening Our Spirits During Lent by Sandi Somers

Our prompt for Lent was framed with the following questions: “How do you observe Lent? What impact does the time of leading up to Easter mean to you, your faith and your writing?”

In past years, my Easter preparation has been to read a Gospel, or read books such as Lee Strobel’s The Case for Christ. This year, however, I wanted to engage more deeply in the meaning and beauty of Lent. Not coming from a Liturgical background, I researched both the history and regular practices of Lent. One helpful resource was SharonEspeseth’s earlier blogs on Lent. She challenged us to wake up our souls for Lent through goals, reading devotionals, prayer, repentance, fasting, and almsgiving.

Sharon’s concept of “waking up” resonated with me. It’s pre-spring, and in spring we wake up to new life after the cold, dark days of winter. Birds will soon return, and early spring flowers will poke through the soil. Just so, Lent is meant to awaken our spirits to its meaning. (The word “Lent” actually comes from the Old English meaning of “spring”!)

While we’re only a few days into Lent, God is already awakening me to focus on several important components.

Time with God

Several days ago, God prompted me to spend extended time with Him. Doing so fits into Lent’s second meaning: “slow” in Latin, a time we slow down to put our lives in order and to clarify priorities—like spiritual housecleaning. Without first spending time with God, I could become too absorbed in Lent’s self-examination, and my spirit can become heavy with my needs and the needs of others. How much I need to be reminded of Nehemiah’s words to his people: “The Joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). 

Confession and Repentance

God has awakened my spirit to greater confession and repentance, common practices of Lent. "Search me O God," the psalmist David wrote (Psalm 139:23-24). While self-examination is important, the Spirit points to areas that I need to confess. The Book of Common Prayer sums it up well: “We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done.” We also confess things that have become too important—idols--including vices outlined in Galatians 5:19-21 and Ephesians 5:3-15

Collective Confession

Confession for me means going beyond myself to confess and call Canada back to God, especially during the current and past turbulences. My prayer has become, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Self-denial

A good friend described self-denial as a sacrifice, giving up something that’s hard to do. Perhaps excesses or preoccupations or distractions. For me, that means cutting cut down on coffee. Also, with living alone, I have a lot of time to myself. God has prompted me to spend more time with my extended family—through phone calls, emails/texts, visits, and invitations. I know there will be more self-denials to come.

         

Fasting to “Give It up for Freedom”

Scriptures teach that through self-denial and fasting, we can free ourselves and others from injustice and oppression (Isaiah 58:6-12). The International Justice Ministry has challenged me this Lent to “Give it up for freedom”, giving what money I save from my excesses to help stop slavery. 

As I’ve begun formal practices of Lent, I’m focusing more and more on why I’m observing this season. “Jesus came to defeat the Devil and Death,” wrote Barry Krammes, “but He also came to apply His victory to our daily lives. As we carefully examine ourselves we become keenly aware of our short-comings and sins but at the same time we are filled with overwhelming joy as we meditate on Jesus’ life and how He endured the cross for our salvation.”[i]

God is ready to awaken our spirits, not only during Lent, but also throughout the year. I pray you would have a listening ear and tender heart to respond to the “deep, deep love of Jesus”. 

For reflection:

As you describe your pre-Easter or Lenten journey this year, what principles help you most to focus on what Christ has done for you? How can your blog encourage your readers? 

·        

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[i] Barry Krammes in “About” in http://ccca.biola.edu/lent/2020/#day-feb-27

Images by Pixabay

Come to Me by Susan Barclay

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,” says the Lord, “and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

This seems to be God’s message for me this year as I seek to centre and focus on Him: Come to me, learn who I am, and find rest.

The scripture writing plan I followed for January centred on God with me; I am never alone. What a wonderful reminder to begin a new year. As a result of my reading, a key verse soon revealed itself: 

“Whom have I in heaven but You? I desire You more than anything on earth. My health may fail and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever” (Psalm 73:25-26).

God is my strength. When I think of His love for me, how can I not be encouraged? Consider this: 

“He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). 

Wow. Those words give life. His Word gives refreshment (Hebrews 4:12; Isaiah 55:11).


I also find refreshment outdoors. When I go for a walk and take in the beauty of nature, I inhale deeply, my lungs fill up with air, and I feel that I can breathe again. The feeling of things closing in on me, or even just the stuffiness of the house, vanishes. I see God’s handiwork and am assured that the universe and planet Earth are not some random product that just happened to come together by accident. Our world is detailed, it’s ordered. God has a plan and a purpose for it, and He has a plan and a purpose for me. My story might be messy but God is weaving something beautiful with its strands.

Often I use my walking time to pray aloud. In the old days, neighbours might have wondered about the “crazy lady, talking to herself”—not so much today with our modern Bluetooth technology! They just don’t know that I’m communicating with the Lord, sharing my heart with Him and hearing His heart for me. Prayer is a pause that refreshes. Like reading the Bible, it’s a form of meditation, even if I’m not quiet about it!

Sometimes, though, God knows I need others. He’s been good in bringing godly people alongside me, people who pour into my life instead of draining me dry. Time spent with them is like drinking from a fountain. Being able to talk together about spiritual things from a common perspective is a blessing. Our tanks get filled with living water and the knowledge that our journey is communal. We are all waiting on the Lord with hope and expectation for answers to prayer and for the day He will make all things right.

Finally, I can’t imagine my life without music for my soul. Just as we open worship services with music, my day starts best when I begin with singing or listening to songs that centre on the Lord. Last month I mentioned several that came to mind as I considered my word of the year, but over the past few weeks, a couple more have really taken hold in my heart. I leave you with them and invite you to use them in your own personal refreshing today as you Come to Him.

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You can find out more about Susan Barclay's writing at www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com