Oct 28 2008
pass it on
Here is a link to today’s reading:
To be a witness requires two qualities. You must see something and you must be prepared to tell about it. One of the hallmarks of people who leave a legacy in the church is their willingness to testify how God has acted throughout history and in their lives. You can be a witness. Study scripture to see what God has done, and partner with what God is doing today so you will have a testimony to pass on to the next generation.
Today’s Challenge:
Find a way to make a difference in the next generation of Christians. This may happen in the context of your family or in new relationships that you can form. Can you name three people who could benefit if you shared a witness of what God has done in your life? Write down their names and tell them your story.
Textual Reflections:
This psalm helps me remember the simplicity of worship. Most simply I can worship by recalling the good works of God. God is praised not just for his intangible and unchanging nature, but most especially for his timely and purposeful action in our lives. Worship then is not only an interaction between the worshiper and God, it is also a testimony to all who hear our worship. When I do this with my children I not only am modeling worship, I am passing on a legacy.
To worship like this we need to cultivate two important perspectives. The first is to develop a mindset that is looking for the work of God. We will do this by studying scripture, but also by learning from others and by watching our own lives for God and work in the world. The second perspective we must cultivate is a since of the public nature of worship.
There has been some controversy over the years about the way in which worship is a witness to the world. The question is often asked, “Is worship evangelistic?” There is certainly a sense in which it is not. Praise to God needs no other motivation. In fact, if we praise as a means to some other end, then our praise is weakened by the inherent confusion of motives. But there is more to this story, and it is to this that our psalmist speaks.
Although praise is valuable and essential in its own right, it is also an essential part of the proclamation of God’s people. This why our worship needs to be grounded no just in our emotional response to God but in the historical reality of God’s action and the dependable character of God. When our praise is grounded in these realities, then our children and any others who are present are taught by our praise.
on the walk
-Ethan
