In Dan Allender’s book Sabbath: The Ancient Practices, he defines worship as “our response to beauty as we offer awe and gratitude [to God] for the gift of goodness” (44). That leads me to wonder: When, during the past week, did you offer awe and gratitude to God for the gifts of goodness that poured into your life? When were you alive to wonder? When did you experience the euphoric sensation of a meaningful life—even if only for a moment, and praise came tumbling out of your mouth?
Three occasions from the past week brought forth praise from my lips. Let me share them with you.
First, I praised God for Matthew Bingham’s book A Heart Aflame for God: A Reformed Approach to Spiritual Formation. Irenic in tone, gracious in disagreement, straightforward prose. This is my favorite kind of theology to read. Highly recommended.
Second, I praised God for J. R. Briggs’s new book The Art of Asking Better Questions: Pursuing Stronger Relationships, Healthier Leadership, and Deeper Faith. “Think about how different the world would be if language was composed only of declarative statements, commands, and assertions. There would be no way to engage with another person other than to talk at them” (15). How stale and unpleasant would that be? Thankfully, we can embrace an explorer’s heart and learn more about our conversation partners.
Here’s a question from the book I’ll set before you: How will you make your life count for someone beyond yourself?
Third, I praised God for Heather Cappetta’s and Michael Scott’s willingness to share with me (and by extension all of you) how they connect with God throughout the week. (In response to this past Sunday’s sermon on ordinary rhythms and the way God calls us to faithfulness week by week, someone suggested I share how some of our own members live this out in their daily lives.)
Heather connects with God by going on walks, reading the Bible and then writing letters of encouragement to fellow believers, and also by singing along to worship songs throughout her day.
Michael communes with God through daily Scripture reading (he uses the Lectio365 app), playing his guitar and singing to the Lord, and also by sitting outside and beholding the beauty of creation—he and his wife Bonnie have even named two groundhogs they see frequently: Gerald and Geraldine. Amazing!
So, get outside, get in God’s Word, and get ready to praise the Lord.
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