Thursday, January 11, 2018 Reflections on Celebration of Discipline—The Discipline of Worship, Part 4 of 8: Preparation for Worship

Good morning! I am so happy to join together in prayer with you today!

Thursday, January 11, 2018

Reflections on Celebration of Discipline—The Discipline of Worship, Part 4 of 8: Preparation for Worship

Scripture:
Matthew 18:20:
For where two or three gather in my name, I am with them.

Excerpt:
When we are truly gathered into worship, things occur that could never occur alone. There is the psychology of the group to be sure, and yet it is so much more; it is divine interpenetration. There is what the biblical writers called koinonia, deep inward fellowship in the power of the Spirit. This experience far transcends esprit de corps. It is not in the least dependent upon homogeneous units or even knowing information about one another’s lives. There comes a divine melting of our separateness. In the power of the one Spirit we become “wrapped in a sense of unity and of Presence such as quiets all words and enfolds [us] within an unspeakable calm and interknittedness within a vaster life.”  Such fellowship-in-worship makes vicarious worship via the media tasteless and flat. (Foster, Richard J.. Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth (pp. 164-165). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.)

Devotional:
In today’s section on preparation for worship, we are reminded that God has a purpose in bringing His children together for worship. Pastor Foster outlines the need to enter into worship with a holy expectancy. This is cultivated through the practice of God’s presence throughout our week. Brother Andrew is a pillar of the Church, and in his book “The Practice of the Presence of God,” he shares his experience of daily throughout his life as a believer the full and rich awareness of God’s presence in his job as a cook in the monastery where he served. This sort of cultivation will cause us, too, to be able to enter in to the corporate worship service with the ability to influence the room to a deeper experience through our own expectancy. We can pray for the congregation, intercede for the leaders, and in many ways draw the entire group into a fuller and richer encounter with the Lord. I was also encouraged to be reminded that this gathering together in unity and connection is a gift particular to our faith. In a highly individualized culture, we are blessed to have the gathering together of believers to draw us into interconnectedness, or “koinonia.” This fellowship is a rare treasure, and I pray that we all experience the richness of the unity of the brethren on a regular basis.

Prayer:

Thanksgiving:
Father, I thank You that You have created a beautiful and unique pattern for worship for Your people. You are holy and blessed, Father. I worship You today, and lift Your Name high. You are Jehovah Jireh, provider of all we need. You are Jehovah Shalom, our peace. You are Jehovah Rapha, our healer, Jehovah Niss"I, our banner of victory, Jehovah Ra-ah, our Shepherd, Jehovah Tsidkenu, our righteousness, Jehovah Shammah, our very present God.

Confession:
In the light of Your holiness I confess my heart before You. I open my life to You and thank You for Your great plan of salvation that causes me to be cleansed in Your Presence. (Take time to confess to the Lord. Lay it at the foot of the cross, and don’t pick it up again. 😊)

Supplication:
I lift my needs to You today, and ask for Your touch and intervention. (Journal needs, requests, progress and victories.) Intercession:
I lift my family today to You for healing, intervention, grace, mercy and love. (Journal needs, requests, progress and victories.)

Thanksgiving and Consecration:
Father, I thank You and bless You and honor You for protecting my time with You today. I give these prayers to You and ask Your seal over them and over my home and family. In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.

Blessing and Benediction:
Romans 15:5-6
May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Bless you as you parent today!