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.
Commission
In this final movement, we are encouraged and equipped for the work God would have us do.
“For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
—1 Corinthians 1:18 (NRSV)
When we would have seminary pastoral interns at our church in Michigan, we would often spend a lot of time talking about the role of the sermon in a worship service. That moment corresponds to this fourth movement of worship we call “commission”—the time in worship where we are equipped and encouraged for our walk as followers of Jesus.
In those conversations there was one word that sprung up a lot: “cruciform.” In its literal sense, “cruciform” means something that is shaped like a cross. In the context of worship, though, “cruciform” reflects our desire that the word we offer might point us to the cross of Jesus in some way, shape, or form. In this time of commission we are invited to reflect on the cross of Christ and consider its call and claim on our lives.
Paul calls the message of the cross “the power of God” for those of us who have placed our faith in Jesus. That’s what we seek to receive in this movement of commissioning—the very power of God which will shape us, transform us, and equip us for his work in the world.
Take some time today to reflect on the cross. What does it mean for you that it is “the power of God?” How does meditating on the death of Jesus bring us to a place of equipping? What movement of our soul does it inspire which will impact the way we live our lives for him?
SONG OF COMMISSION: When I Survey The Wondrous Cross (lyrics here)