rejoicing and trembling

Opening Prayer: Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.  Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment.  Blessed are all who take refuge in him. (Psalm 2:10-12)

Scripture: Psalm 2:10-12

Journal: What do you do with the parts of God you don’t know what to do with?  How are rejoicing and trembling possible at the same time?  How has your knowledge and experience of God deepened your awe and reverence for him?

Reflection: What do you do with those parts of God you just don’t know what to do with?  Do you ignore them?  Do you deny them?  Do you try to rationalize ways that they cannot possibly be true?  Or do you just try, somehow, to hold them together in dynamic tension? 

“Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling,” say the words of this ancient prayer.  How in the world are we to do that? On the surface, rejoicing and trembling seem to be polar opposites, but are they really?  What if they are not contrary, but complimentary?  What if they are not enemies, but companions?  Always needing to be held together.  Always stretching us and pushing us to expand our tiny little images of God.  Trying to push us past the familiar, and on into the depths of mystery.

After all, familiarity should breed more awe, not less.  We should never get too comfortable with God.  After all, He’s God!  If we get too comfortable with him, it only goes to show that we really don’t know him at all.

That’s why I love the words of this ancient prayer.  That’s why I am so grateful for this psalm; it reminds me, once again, that my picture of God is far too small.

Prayer

Closing Prayer: 

Worship God in adoring embrace,

Celebrate in trembling awe. Kiss Messiah!

Your very lives are in danger, you know;

His anger is about to explode,

But if you make a run for God—you won’t regret it!

(Psalm 2:10-12, MSG)