the song, friday

Friday, February 6

Come to Stillness: Take a few minutes to allow your mind and heart to be still before God.

          

Opening Prayer: O Lord, as we spend time with you and your Word this day, let us hear the words of your Ancient Song; and let us listen closely for the Song of God that rises in our hearts.  In Christ.  Amen.

                                  

Scripture Reading for the Day: Psalm 95:1-11

Reading for Reflection:

 

     If enough of us were to ungarble our words [the word spoken uniquely into each one of us by God], perhaps God’s story might be more clearly heard and understood.  Perhaps the song that God sings into the wind that whispers all around us in the trees would be on more lips and taught to more children.  My friend Russell Montfort once remarked that he suspects that “we die with half our music left in us.”  Maybe we do not know the words to our own song.

     And it is not just our own little melody that suffers; the whole chorus is not as good.  If you leave out enough of the words, even the Song of the whole universe will sound funny.

     The Song needs my word.  It is not the same song without it.  And I am the only one who has ever heard it, the only one who can ever listen to its echo deep inside and know whether or not the life that I am living—what I am doing with my hours and days and work and other selves to love—rhymes with it, and sings it clearly at all.  (Between the Dreaming and the Coming True by Robert Benson)

Reflection and Listening: silent and written

Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself    

                      
Closing Prayer: Come, let us raise a joyful song, a shout of triumph to the rock of our salvation.  Let us come into Your presence with thanksgiving, singing songs of triumph.  For You are a great God, a great king over all gods.  The depths of the earth are in Your hands; and the mountains belong to You.  The sea is Yours for You made it; and the dry land Your hands fashioned.  Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the One who made us.  For You are our God, and we are the flock that You shepherd.  We will know Your power and presence this day if we will but listen for Your voice. (Venite by Robert Benson)