Worship: Creatures Of Memory

One of the most significant remembrances that occurred in our Masters group this trip to Greece and Turkey was that human beings are creatures of memory, always looking for ways to make important ideas last.

Orthodox cathedrals, with every corner filled with paint, mark the importance of the lives of the martyrs in Meteorea. Bishop seats at the end of cave carved tables mark the importance of a spiritual leaders words to the community. Songs recall important biblical themes, illuminated manuscripts amplify their presence through art and embellishment.

Worship, as I often say, is in large part about memory – we rekindle the important in our minds through multi-media, and do so in ways that last generation to generation.

Remembering the gifts of friendship on this trip is my most important worship memory. People like our Masters students lead me to Jesus, and to thanks.

To all my blog friends who prayed for us this trip, thank you.

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Sheltering Mercy: Prayers Inspired by the Psalms

Sheltering Mercy, along with its companion volume, Endless Grace, helps us rediscover the rich treasures of the Psalms—through free-verse prayer renderings of their poems and hymns—as a guide to personal devotion and meditation.

The church has always used the Psalms as part of its prayer life, and they have inspired countless other prayers. This book contains 75 prayers drawn from Psalms 1-75, providing lyrical sketches of what authors Ryan Smith and Dan Wilt have seen, heard, and felt while sojourning in the Psalms. Each prayer is a response to the Psalms written in harmony with Scripture. These prayers help us quiet our hearts before God and welcome us into a safe place amid the storms of life.

This artful, poetic, and classic devotional book features compelling custom illustrations and foil-stamped hardcover binding, offering a fresh way to reflect on and pray the Psalms.