For several years now, I've had the same pre-worship ritual. I close the door to my office and put on my alb and my stole and I pray.
I pray that the preparation I have done for this time of prayer and praise has been good and honourable. I pray that the Spirit will pick up the pieces where I have failed to bring my "A" game. I assure God that I know the Spirit has my back and that I trust in her presence with us all through this time of worship.
Then I use the words of Edwards Hays, saying, "Gracious God, may this act of holiness I am about to perform bring forth from within me more and more personal holiness."
Three deep cleansing breaths, an "Amen", and I'm out the door.
May you and yours be blessed this day.
************************************************************************************
Don't forget the Wednesday Festival: it's easy! Anyone can play!
All you have to do is click on the hyperlinked words: RevGal Wednesday Festival to create a mail message to the Festival team.
Nominations should be from your own blog or another RGBP ring member's. Please include a brief description of the post (a sentence is fine!) and the URL for the post, too!
Thanks be to God for the gift of the Spirit - both by empowering us to do the preparation in the first place and then by taking our actions and even our failings and making something Holy and beyond who we are and could ever hope to imagine.
ReplyDeleteI like your ritual, and thanks for sharing that with us. Mine isn't much different than yours, yet it has its own style. I think I will begin to adapt some of yours.
ReplyDeleteI thank the Holy Spirit for showing up and taking up the words that have been written to the ears and heart of the hearers.
Thanks, Sue, beautiful.
Love this. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the ritual.
ReplyDeleteWhen I arrived at my new post three years ago, there in the vesting closet of the pastor was this prayer...
The Robe
My soul shall rejoioce in the Lord, for God has clothed me with the robe of gladness; as a bridegroom has set a crown on me; and as a bride adorns herself with jewels, so has God adorned me.
The Stole
Blessed is God, who pours out God's grace upon God's priests, as myrrh upon the head, that runs down the face, the face of Aaron, that runs down the border of his robe.
The Belt
Blessed is God, who girds me with strength and makes my way blameless. God made my feet like hind's feet, and set me secure on the heights.
The Cross
Jesus says, "Take up your cross and follow me." (Mark 8:34)
Peace,