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.
“Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
—John 6:35 (NRSVUE)
When referring to himself as the “bread of life” Jesus is offering us a powerful understanding of his identity. He is God’s greatest provision for our most basic need: the need for mercy and grace, the need for nourishment to our souls.
As Christians we can get so distracted by deep theological thoughts that sometimes we just need to set them all aside and meditate on the person of Jesus Christ. We need to come back to the simple truth that he is, as the hymn says, “manna to the hungry soul.”
As we worship today, let’s simply seek fellowship with Jesus. This classic hymn of the church is a wonderful invitation to meditate on the name of Jesus and all it means to us.
As you worship, consider these questions: what are good ways for you to re-center on Jesus when your life, mind, and heart get filled with other things? What does the name of Jesus mean to you? How does it “soothe your sorrows, heal your wounds, and drive away your fears?”
Perhaps use the names and titles for Jesus from the final verse of the hymn as words to sit with and consider. Which of these speaks most powerfully to your heart today?
Jesus! my Shepherd, Brother, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.
SONG OF COMMISSION: How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds (lyrics here)