A Word About This Week’s Devotional
Last week the Christian music community lost a dear friend, songwriter and worship leader Brian Doerksen. His music was a true blessing to many worship leaders over the years, including me. In that light, I’d like to honor Brian with this week’s devotional by choosing songs by him for each section. If you’re unfamiliar with his life and music, you can read about him here.
Time of Preparation
Begin by taking inventory of your surroundings. Are things in your vicinity conducive to a time of personal worship? Are there any changes or adjustments (turning off tech, making yourself comfortable) you need to make before you begin?
When you are ready, take some time to sit in silence and prepare your heart for worship. Ask God to clear away any distractions that might keep you from being truly present in this moment.
After some time of silence, listen to this invitational song of preparation.
SONG OF PREPARATION: Come, Now is the Time to Worship (lyrics here)
Encounter With God
In this first movement, we simply seek to see God for who He is: the One worthy of worship.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
—James 1:17 (NKJV)
In a world that is so chaotic and so unpredictable, how we need to rest in the truth that God never changes. In him is “no variation or shadow of turning.” When the winds howl and the waves crash and the very ground beneath our feet seems unsteady, we can approach the God who is steadfast and sure.
Let’s worship the faithful One who does not change, but is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
SONG OF ENCOUNTER: Faithful One (lyrics here)
Confession
In this second movement, we simply see ourselves for who we are: people who need God.
“For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”
—Malachi 3:2-3 (NRSV)
God desires us to bring our brokenness to him not to punish or shame us, but to cleanse us. Like any loving parent, he is not content to let his children be consumed by their own mistakes and sin. He invites us to come to him so that we might be made pure and clean, clothed in his righteousness.
His desire is for us to be holy. Confessing our sin to him is our way of aligning ourselves with that desire.
Take a few moments of silence to confess your sin to God, then allow this song to be a continuation of your prayer.
SONG OF ENCOUNTER: Refiner’s Fire (lyrics here)
Assurance
In this third movement, we receive the good news of the gospel: we are forgiven.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
—1 John 1:9 (NIV)
Faithful. Just. Forgive. Purify. This single verse from 1 John has four of the most powerful words for us to consider as we come to God seeking to be made whole.
Faithful. Just. Forgive. Purify. Spend some time praying with these four words. Let each one linger on your lips and in your heart for a period of time. Consider what each means. Pay attention to how you respond to each. If there is resistance to any of them, offer that to God in prayer. If one word seems to speak most strongly to you right now, sit with that for a while. Let these four words root the peace of God deep in your soul.
Commission
In this final movement, we are encouraged and equipped for the work God would have us do.
“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’”
—Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)
When I read these familiar words of Jesus, they are always a balm to my soul. The focus is usually how I receive them—how I need them and what a gift they are to me.
But these words are a two-way street. They speak to us, but they also speak through us. This is not only the invitation we receive, this is also the invitation we offer. Our world is consumed by so much anxiety and instability right now, and perhaps the greatest invitation we can offer to people is a place of peace and rest, trusting that God will meet them there.
So as you meditate on these words, receive them as Jesus would desire you to. But as you make your way through life, watch for ways that the Spirit of Jesus might speak these words through you to someone else who desperately needs to enter the rest of God.
SONG OF COMMISSION: Enter the Rest of God (lyrics here)
Benediction
“Let the majesty of the Father
be the light by which you walk,
the compassion of the Son
be the love by which you walk,
the presence of the Spirit
be the power by which you walk.”
—Unknown