THE CALL
Holy Trinity, who is undivided and infinitely one, let us celebrate our union with you and with your Church, that we might encourage one another to live as though we have eternal life, as we reflect your image through our unity.
CONFESSION
Eternal God, we confess that we do not live as though we believe in eternal life. You are infinitely united as one, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and are preparing a place in heaven for us to be completely united together as your people, but we often want your presence without the unity it brings. Give us the joy of connectedness and the excitement to pursue unity on earth. As we wait for heaven, pour out your blessings so that they cover all of our relationships.
MEDITATION | John 17:22-23 [ESV]
The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
SING Psalm 133 | How Good It Is [recording] [lead sheet]
How good it is when we dwell within your will
When unity for all your people you restore
We live as though we have life forevermore
When we share in the peace you pour from Zion’s hill
When we share in the peace you pour from Zion’s hill
Oh, how good it is
Oh, how good it is
Oh, how good it is
When we dwell within you will
WORD
First Reading: Psalm 135
Second Reading: Psalm 136
These two psalms are in the category of historical psalms outlining some aspects of Jewish redemptive history (See Days 50, 67, and 68). The episodes recalled here are Israel’s deliverance from Egypt through the 10 plagues (135:8-9; 136:10-16) and the early conquests of the Promised Land (135:10-11; 136:17-22). The author then moves into a section of warning against temptation for idolatry of neighboring Gentile nations uniquely in Psalm 135 (vv. 15-18). But laced throughout both psalms are the refrain to praise the Lord and to remember His steadfast love that endures forever.
Seldom do we as a modern society find ourselves singing about our nation’s or even Church’s history during our worship liturgy. While there are cultural contexts with Israel as a theocratic nation that dictated this, the impulse of this practice is still widely foreign to us today. And unless your family has had a practice of regularly sharing testimonies across generations, it remains an oddity on both a personal as well as corporate level. In this instance, my deep prayer is that we would lean into this unknown with curiosity and humility rather than fear and skepticism. There is immense value in recalling God’s faithfulness, not just in our own time and perspective, but that of our community across many eras. How has God called us to see His Spirit at work in all areas and times of life, rather than compartmentalizing Him to only what we experience ourselves? Where can we give God glory that we might not have considered before?
- Nameun Cho
ABIDING
MONDAY-LECTIO DIVINA | Psalm 133
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.
- Receive God’s Word from Psalm 133 as a gift as you read or listen.
- Re-read and meditate on the meaning of the Psalm. If you are in a group, briefly share an idea that applies to your life.
- Re-read and pick an attribute of the Psalm and pray from it in your own words.
- Re-read and silently contemplate how God has spoken to you through his Word.
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
SENDING
PRACTICE
- Think of one person from church today that you can intentionally encourage. Perhaps you can call them, send a quick note, or help them with a need today. Perhaps you simply need to pray for a forgiving heart towards a brother or sister.
PRAYER
Our Father in heaven,
Jesus who redeems us,
Spirit who is with us,
may we live in your kingdom now,
unified by your love.
Give us the encouragement we need,
to celebrate with confidence the blessings of heaven,
even as we still suffer by the hands of others.
Save us from bitterness and strife,
remove the presence of evil,
for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever,
Amen.