In 2013, I attended the National Youth Workers Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. As an introvert in a professional field filled with extroverts, this was a
wild
few days. We went to workshops, shared meals, shared stories, danced, and sang. You would occasionally see some folks lining the conference center hallways as they caught a few moments of silence and sleep.
Throughout this long weekend, thousands of us worshipped with one another. As someone who grew up and still attends worship services with 3-200 people, these worship services pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I'm someone who feels radical by just moving from my regular pew on Sunday mornings, and this large-crowd worship took things to a new level. Needless to say, I was energized, exhausted, inspired, and drained by the end of this convention
We're all being moved a little outside of our comfort zones nowadays. Some of us may be wearing more comfortable clothes than usual to our various online church gatherings. Some may be uncomfortable with technology and not being able to hug one another. Yet, aren't we often called to be uncomfortable? As Christians, we follow the way set before us by Jesus Christ. He is known to be counter-cultural- disrupting the status quo. Perhaps we are uncomfortable with figuring out what "the way" looks like today.
How does worship shape our everyday lives?
What does it mean to be counter-cultural today?
What does it mean to follow Jesus each and every day?
1
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name.
2
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits—
3
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4
who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5
who satisfies you with good as long as you live[
a
]
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6
The Lord works vindication
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7
He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9
He will not always accuse,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12
as far as the east is from the west,
so far he removes our transgressions from us.
13
As a father has compassion for his children,
so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.
14
For he knows how we were made;
he remembers that we are dust.
15
As for mortals, their days are like grass;
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
17
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children’s children,
18
to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
19
The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20
Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
obedient to his spoken word.
21
Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers that do his will.
22
Bless the Lord, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
What words or phrases stand out to you?
If you were to add to this psalm today, how would you complete:
"Bless the Lord, _________"
During the convention I mentioned earlier, our music leaders included
Rend Collective,
who identify as a "Northern Irish Christian folk rock worship band originating from Bangor, Northern Ireland." They had a contagious energy, even for this traditional-music-hymn-loving-type.
I was introduced to a song originally written by Matt Redman- "
10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)
." This song is based on Psalm 103 and I invite you to listen to it this morning as a prayer for your day. And if you prefer to read the lyrics instead, you can find them
here
.
Amen.
