Preaching and Worship Course
April 21st, 2015
Psalm 30:1-5
Let us pray: Open our ears, O Lord, to hear your word and know your voice. Speak to our hearts and strengthen our wills that we may serve you now and always. Amen.
I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (Psalm 30:1-5, KJV)
When I was in high school I was part of the Christian Fellowship. I was the only non-Baptist or Pentecostal, I brought in a New International Version of the bible instead of the “proper” King James Version. I didn’t know many of the praise songs that were sung. I felt like an outcast and like my faith wasn’t as strong. My ideas were turned down and I feared my United Methodist upbringing was “too liberal”. Yet in my junior year of high school we got a new faculty advisor and I began to realize that some of the members of the fellowship only quoted certain books, many of them never touched the Old Testament and despite their front many of them were just as uncertain as I. I left this group that year, still maintaining friendships but believing I needed a break.
I entered college and decided that if student led Christian fellowships were anything like my high school fellowship I was good without it. Yet God had other plans. During the second week of classes I was walking by the student run café and an older student I had met during orientation invited me in. I hesitantly entered and found it was a meeting for the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, a non-denominational group on campus. I was ready to bolt but was introduced to people who have become lifelong friends. During this event the focus was on fellowship, creating relationships and connecting individuals with small groups.
I was able to see the potential of Christian community. Fast forward and I ended up leading worship at our group meetings my four years of college, joined the executive board, sang in the Christian A Capella, cemented my faith and discovered my call to ministry. At that first meeting I also made friends with the person who introduced me to my husband four years after that meeting.
“…weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning”
As I look back on this time I see where God was moving, I see the places where I had uncertainty and doubt yet God showed hope, I see the places that God continued to provide answers despite my constant questioning without listening. Today I still have moments of doubt but I am encouraged and I am reminded to give God the glory and praise despite my hesitation. I am inspired that joy is coming in every situation.
In our reading from the book of Psalms we meet a psalmist who is living in relationship with God, who is surprised by God’s grace, who has circumstances and attitudes transformed, who cannot comprehend the things God does but trusts anyway. In Eugene Peterson’s Message translation we find a contemporary version of this text; “I give you all the credit, God—you got me out of that mess, you didn’t let my foes gloat. God, my God, I yelled for help and you put me together. God, you pulled me out of the grave, gave me another chance at life when I was down-and-out. All you saints! Sing your hearts out to God! Thank him to his face! He gets angry once in a while, but across a lifetime there is only love. The nights of crying your eyes out give way to days of laughter.”
This should be our testimony to ourselves and others, as we live out each imperfect day on this earth-it gets better. I was told a story of a man who would smile and wave at strangers. When asked why he did this he replied that if I can give someone hope to keep going, encouragement to be deal with any situation why wouldn’t I?
“…weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning”
As we near the end of this semester our worlds seem off kilter, we feel stressed and discouraged, we can’t see the light at the end but God is still working, still moving, still guiding each and every step. Wherever we are in our educational journey it can be hard to understand why God has put us in this place. Friends it’s not until we look back that we clearly see God upholding, encouraging and loving us through those around us. It’s not until we look back that we recognize the blessings and grace that have abounded.
So even though it seems near impossible it’s time to praise God, offering our thanks for all being done. You cried all night, your life may be in the pits, you’re sorry for something you’ve done; but dawn has broken, and joy comes in the morning. If you can’t feel the dawn, take heart. It’s coming. If joy still feels a long way off, you’re not alone. Some days this joy may be loud and boisterous, some days it may be quiet but beloved let us continue to lift up the name of God, despite our situation and despite our selves. Won’t you join in?
April 21st, 2015
Psalm 30:1-5
Let us pray: Open our ears, O Lord, to hear your word and know your voice. Speak to our hearts and strengthen our wills that we may serve you now and always. Amen.
I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (Psalm 30:1-5, KJV)
When I was in high school I was part of the Christian Fellowship. I was the only non-Baptist or Pentecostal, I brought in a New International Version of the bible instead of the “proper” King James Version. I didn’t know many of the praise songs that were sung. I felt like an outcast and like my faith wasn’t as strong. My ideas were turned down and I feared my United Methodist upbringing was “too liberal”. Yet in my junior year of high school we got a new faculty advisor and I began to realize that some of the members of the fellowship only quoted certain books, many of them never touched the Old Testament and despite their front many of them were just as uncertain as I. I left this group that year, still maintaining friendships but believing I needed a break.
I entered college and decided that if student led Christian fellowships were anything like my high school fellowship I was good without it. Yet God had other plans. During the second week of classes I was walking by the student run café and an older student I had met during orientation invited me in. I hesitantly entered and found it was a meeting for the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, a non-denominational group on campus. I was ready to bolt but was introduced to people who have become lifelong friends. During this event the focus was on fellowship, creating relationships and connecting individuals with small groups.
I was able to see the potential of Christian community. Fast forward and I ended up leading worship at our group meetings my four years of college, joined the executive board, sang in the Christian A Capella, cemented my faith and discovered my call to ministry. At that first meeting I also made friends with the person who introduced me to my husband four years after that meeting.
“…weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning”
As I look back on this time I see where God was moving, I see the places where I had uncertainty and doubt yet God showed hope, I see the places that God continued to provide answers despite my constant questioning without listening. Today I still have moments of doubt but I am encouraged and I am reminded to give God the glory and praise despite my hesitation. I am inspired that joy is coming in every situation.
In our reading from the book of Psalms we meet a psalmist who is living in relationship with God, who is surprised by God’s grace, who has circumstances and attitudes transformed, who cannot comprehend the things God does but trusts anyway. In Eugene Peterson’s Message translation we find a contemporary version of this text; “I give you all the credit, God—you got me out of that mess, you didn’t let my foes gloat. God, my God, I yelled for help and you put me together. God, you pulled me out of the grave, gave me another chance at life when I was down-and-out. All you saints! Sing your hearts out to God! Thank him to his face! He gets angry once in a while, but across a lifetime there is only love. The nights of crying your eyes out give way to days of laughter.”
This should be our testimony to ourselves and others, as we live out each imperfect day on this earth-it gets better. I was told a story of a man who would smile and wave at strangers. When asked why he did this he replied that if I can give someone hope to keep going, encouragement to be deal with any situation why wouldn’t I?
“…weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning”
As we near the end of this semester our worlds seem off kilter, we feel stressed and discouraged, we can’t see the light at the end but God is still working, still moving, still guiding each and every step. Wherever we are in our educational journey it can be hard to understand why God has put us in this place. Friends it’s not until we look back that we clearly see God upholding, encouraging and loving us through those around us. It’s not until we look back that we recognize the blessings and grace that have abounded.
So even though it seems near impossible it’s time to praise God, offering our thanks for all being done. You cried all night, your life may be in the pits, you’re sorry for something you’ve done; but dawn has broken, and joy comes in the morning. If you can’t feel the dawn, take heart. It’s coming. If joy still feels a long way off, you’re not alone. Some days this joy may be loud and boisterous, some days it may be quiet but beloved let us continue to lift up the name of God, despite our situation and despite our selves. Won’t you join in?
No comments :
Post a Comment