GATHERING [Picture: Psalm 132: Blake Johnson] THE CALL | Mark 11:7-10 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” CONFESSION O God, what house could contain you, that you should dwell there? All of creation is not vast enough. And yet you desire for your Spirit to make its home in our hearts. Forgive us that we so often shutter our hearts to you. For the sake of your Son, the greater Son of David, do not turn your face away. Clothe us in your righteousness and clothe our adversary in shame; let him not hinder your coming. Open our hearts to welcome you in as our King! Cause us to shout for joy for your salvation, yours alone, we pray. ASSURANCE | Hebrews 9:11-12 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. SING: Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father And to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning Is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Amen WORD — INSERT LINK TO PSALM READING — — INSERT MATT'S REFLECTION -- ABIDING SING
MONDAY LECTIO DIVINA | Psalm 132 We memorize things we value. The brain has an incredible ability to remove information that we don’t need. As we make an effort to memorize the Psalms, the beginning of each week seeks to establish the value of God's Word in our hearts before we view it as information to be remembered. Read more about the Lectio Divina HERE.
TUESDAY READ | Psalm 132 Spend time understanding and memorizing the outline of the Psalm, taking special note of the flow or transition points. If you are in a group, discuss the main themes and emphasis together. WEDNESDAY CONTEXTUALIZE | Psalm 132 Consider ways that you can let the Psalm form your imagination, that you might share it with others. Perhaps you can journal about it, write poetry or prose, learn a song, create visual art, or reexpress it in ways that speak to your context. If you are planning to fellowship with other people this weekend, consider how you might share these imaginations with your community. THURSDAY MEMORIZE | Psalm 132 - Spend time memorizing the words of the Psalm as best you can - FRIDAY MEMORIZE | Psalm 132 - Spend time memorizing the words of the Psalm as best you can - SATURDAY (see Saturday liturgy) SENDING Revelation 21:3 [ESV] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (If you are in a group, you can end with the following call and response:) The Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let the one who hears say, Come. And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. (based on Revelation 22:17,20-21) WEEKEND LITURGY
Retreat of Silence In Psalm 131, David resolves not to occupy his mind and heart with things that aren’t meant to be meditated upon, but rather, he has “calmed and quieted” his soul like a child. This weekend, try setting aside a significant amount of time (maybe 30 minutes, maybe an hour), in a place free of distraction, to spend before the Lord in silent prayer and introspection. Know that the Lord is present with you, that he probes your thoughts before you speak them (Psalm 139:4) and knows what is in your heart (John 2:25). In this time, try to investigate the things that are occupying your mind and heart, and acknowledge them before Him. It may be helpful to journal about them or write them out. What is causing you anxiety, worry, and fear? Are they things that God intends for you to sift in your mind and heart? Or are you anxious, worried, and fearful because they are things too high for you, that only He can comprehend? Offer them to God, and wait upon Him in this time to restore you with a sense of His peace, the peace that suprasses all understanding. Read Psalm 111 Read Psalm 112 111:9 “He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name!” 112:6 “For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.” Psalms 111 & 112, if you didn’t know it, are both acrostics. The first letter of each half-line starts with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The arranging of these psalms next to each other, as well as their similar style, suggest to us that these psalms complement one another. The mention of the “fear of the LORD” in the last verse of Psalm 111, and a similar sentiment in the first verse of Psalm 112, only further serve to reinforce this idea. Psalm 111 recounts God’s mighty works of salvation in the Old Testament, beginning with the Exodus and culminating with Joshua leading Israel into the Promised Land. God’s people are to “praise the LORD” and “give thanks to the LORD with [their] whole heart[s]” (v. 1). The psalmist is teaching God’s people, through song, many things about His character and nature (vv. 2-8), but he’s also teaching them the eternal nature of God’s covenant with His people (v. 9). Psalm 112 helps us grasp some of the many reasons to celebrate the fact that God “has commanded his covenant forever” (111:9). Here we see that God’s people are to again “praise the LORD” (v. 1) for a host of reasons, including the many ways God blesses His covenant people (vv. 1-9). Those who fear the LORD and delight in His commandments are indeed blessed (v. 1). Although subtle, perhaps the most significant reason for God’s people to praise Him is the fact that the “righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever” (v. 6). But why are God’s people remembered forever? Does this seem to be the case, when our years often seem so short? We as God’s people are remembered forever because we have been united by grace through faith to the LORD Jesus Christ, the one who truly “fears the LORD…[and] greatly delights in His commandments! (v. 1)” In our ever-changing, transient world, isn’t it wonderful to know that your life is bound up with Christ, the infinite, eternal and unchangeable God-man? |
City Reformed Presbyterian ChurchThe 90 Days project is a collaborative effort of many church leaders. Matt Koerber and Daniel Snoke have taken lead roles, with others helping to write daily devotionals. Archives
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