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.
Encounter With God
In this first movement, we simply seek to see God for who He is: the One worthy of worship.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…”
—1 Peter 1:3 (NIV)
As a young university student in the 1600s, Joachim Neander lived a bit on the wild side. Although he studied theology, he showed little interest in it. Instead, he was known for a fairly scandalous lifestyle, marked by, as one contemporary account put it, “vanity of the mind, forgetfulness of God, and the eager pursuit of youthful pleasures.”
But in 1670, Neander visited a nearby church in Bremen with some of his university friends. They weren’t there for spiritual edification—they specifically wanted to mock the church’s new Pietist pastor. But Neander found himself stirred by the sermon, and that journey to mock actually launched a journey of faith. He went on to become a respected preacher and hymnwriter.
Interestingly, the name “Neander” literally means “new man,” a concept Joachim could truly understand. His encounter with grace shaped the remainder of his life, and added a poetic touch to his hymnwriting as well. A good example of this is the line:
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
if with his love he befriends you.
As you enter God’s presence today, spend some time contemplating the power that makes us new. Ponder anew what the Almighty God is able to do in us by his loving friendship. As you do, sit with this hymn inspired by that transforming intimacy with our Creator.
SONG OF ENCOUNTER: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (lyrics here)