“”Christ in Majesty” the centerpiece of the Great Upper Church. At 3,600 square feet and containing nearly 3 million tiles, it is the one of the largest mosaics of Jesus in the world. John de Rosen designed the image in the Eastern Christian tradition of the Pantocrator, meaning the Ruler of All, or Celestial Emperor. Photo by David; CCL flickr
Meditation
Thursday, Ordinary 12/Proper 7, returned to the Ordinary time or Propers and the Scripture selections will follow the semi-continuous RCL, so the stories will follow continuous books in their contexts more than just themes.
The Old Testament lesson in Exodus dealt with the Passover restrictions, especially for strangers. Because the Passover meal celebrated the great work of God in liberating the Hebrews from Egyptian control, it was not to be taken lightly.
In all our acts of worshipping God, sober reflection, honorable intention and reverent adoration should underscore our practice.
Many years ago, when I was single, a friend ‘set me up with a blind date’ and I spent Saturday getting my hair done, buying a new outfit and taking time to put on make-up. The total preparation time I spent for a date with a person I had never met was over seven hours. The two hours of dinner and movie dragged endlessly and I thankfully never saw him again.
The following morning I showered, didn’t even finish blow drying my hair or styling it, threw on whatever was handiest and went to church.
A nudge in the back of my mind said, “You spent seven hours preparing yourself for a date that went no-where. How much time did you spend in prayer or reading Scripture, in preparation for Sunday worship?”
I hung my head in shame. God, who was more important to me than anyone in my life, had occupied very little of my time, my reverence, my care or reflection. I determined to read the Scripture daily, after that. Being realistic, I started with a prayer that my heart would be open to God and the reading of the Word. Then I read for five minutes.
I didn’t ‘pressure’ myself to increase it, but if I was interested, I didn’t limit myself, either. Soon, I was reading about 30 minutes. It evolved naturally and out of desire, not duty. But I never forgot the lesson that God was trying to convey in Exodus. Take worship of God seriously.
We are helped in taking worship of God seriously because of the New Testament lesson in Hebrews, where we are reminded that Jesus became like us, so we would have an example to follow. Jesus became a little lower than the angels, like us, in order to be prepared to rule over all things.
But it was the Psalmist that touched my heart. The news over this year have been disturbing: college shootings; executions of police officers and a Walmart greeter by American terrorists; horrible treatment of a returned soldier—after suffering five years imprisonment, death threats by extremists to his Christian parents because the father grew a beard to open the possibility of sending letters to their son via the Taliban; the disintegration of Iraq, with thousands of people fleeing for their lives from sectarian extremists; coal ash and chemicals poisoning the drinking water of Americans; thousands of underage children fleeing Central America and one of the most violent societies in the world and coming to America only to find more trouble; a crash of a bus with a truck that killed college bound hopefuls and more.
The Psalmist said, “Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.”
Many of us may not make the headlines, but we also feel ‘poor and needy’ and the Psalmist led the way to call out to God, who hears our prayers and answers us. The request didn’t go out just once, but was reiterated in many ways. Each verse was a cry for protection, preservation, mercy, but shifted to a sequence of praises for God and the many ways of worshiping God.
The Psalmist went from requests for himself to acknowledgment of the greatness of the one true God. He prepared himself to worship God as I should have those many years ago.
Reading these Scriptures is preparation for worshiping God as the one true God, so give yourself an “atta-boy/atta girl” for being like the Psalmist and doing exactly what pleases God—preparing our hearts to worship the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Click on the Scriptures for links to biblegateway.com, where many translations of the same text enhance the understanding the readings, which come from the (RCL) Revised Common Lectionary – Daily Lectionary
Readings. I add a Daily Prayer to bless you with God’s Favor.
Enjoy the Daily Encouragement and Bible Study and may you be inspired to be your best self for Ordinary 12/Proper 7.
Ordinary 12/Proper 7
Nearer My God to Thee – Nine Cellos/The Piano Guys
Passover Table
“Day 108 – The Passover Table Is Set” by slgckgc; CCL flickr
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen
Ordinary 12/Proper 7
Now Let Us From this Table Rise – The Sound of Perfect Love
Passover
“Passover Lamb” Victorian glass from Ely Cathedral. Photo by Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P.; CCL flickr
Ordinary 12/Proper 7Bible Readings
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2086:1-10;Exodus%2012:43-49;Hebrews%202:5-9&version=KJV;ERV;NCV;NIV;GNT
(multiple versions)
Thursday, Ordinary 12/Proper 7
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
Psalm 8:3-5 NIV
3When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
5You have made them
a little lower than the angels
and crowned them
with glory and honor.
Human beings that you care for them?
Ordinary 12/Proper 7 Music
O For a Heart to Praise My God – The Hymn Writers
Single Bible Study chapter to study
King James Version (KJV)
86 Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.
One who cares for the poor — “St Vincent de Paul” by Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P; CCL flickr
2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.
3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.
4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
6 Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.
“poverty” by Daniel Kulinski; CCL flickr
7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.
9 All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.
10 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.
“My Lord and my God” Stained glass detail by Burne Jones from a window in Jesus College, Cambridge Photo by Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P.; CCL flickr
.
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.
2.
3.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
APPLY:
Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Dear God, we are needy, like the Psalmist said, but we also acknowledge your greatness and that you are the one true God. No other god is like you. We ask for your help in the way that we worship you. Open our hearts and minds to be receptive to your leading. Help us to follow in Jesus’ footsteps as the ruler of all nations. In Jesus’ name, Amen
Ordinary 12/Proper 7 Music
Aja Usey Thu Chak Lay – “O Taste and See that the Lord is Good”
Hindi Christian Song – Sunny Vishwas
Ordinary 12/Proper 7 Humor
For the Poor and Needy…A Low Interest Loan on Treasures in Heaven?
©Jeff Larson, Used by permission
One True God – live version with Heart of the City singers and dancers
I hope you found a chance to encounter your Creator and experience the Love of God and the joy of Christ in Ordinary 12/Proper 7.
Conclusion
Thursday, Ordinary 12/Proper 7 called for all to prepare appropriately for the proper worship of God. We pray like the Psalmist, declaring our neediness and recognizing our position in relationship with God; we celebrate the Kingship of Jesus, who became like us to be an example of us, so he could rule the nations, and we must acknowledge his greatness.
If we set our hearts and minds to be open to God, to prepare ourselves, we are able to properly receive the Spirit at work in us and follow the example of Jesus, so we can do wonderful things in His name.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life—for the glory of God.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. Please like if it was meaningful. God bless you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.
Please like if you are blessed and don’t hesitate to comment or contact me. I love hearing from you.
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