Being a bit of a free church girl at heart I've never really appreciated creeds and liturgies as much as I maybe should have done. But this comment by Dale Ralph Davis really helped me see them differently:
Pilgrims enjoy the privilege of the worship of God:
Then Abram moved tent and came and dwelt among the oaks of Mamre which are in Hebron; and he built there an altar to Yahweh.
Genesis 13.18
As we’ve seen in chapters 12 and 13, this is a pattern. Abram always seems to build an altar; he worships on the basis of atoning sacrifice, openly and unashamed. I don’t think we should miss this: the man with the promises consistently worships. I hope we sense the privilege in our public worship. In our current congregational setting, we use a number of time-honored elements in worship, and sometimes we can fail to see the privilege and delight we should find in them.
Then Abram moved tent and came and dwelt among the oaks of Mamre which are in Hebron; and he built there an altar to Yahweh.
Genesis 13.18
As we’ve seen in chapters 12 and 13, this is a pattern. Abram always seems to build an altar; he worships on the basis of atoning sacrifice, openly and unashamed. I don’t think we should miss this: the man with the promises consistently worships. I hope we sense the privilege in our public worship. In our current congregational setting, we use a number of time-honored elements in worship, and sometimes we can fail to see the privilege and delight we should find in them.
Some of us use the Apostles’ Creed in worship. When you say the creed you are engaging in an act of defiance, for the Christ you confess is the Christ rejected by the world, by Pontius Pilate and all his lackeys, whether they are non-committal or viciously hostile. But here you have the privilege of saying your ‘No’ to world opinion; you stick out your jaw and say, ‘This crucified, risen, ascended, and coming Christ is mine, and I acknowledge him, no matter what you say.’
But the creed is defiant is another way. Think where people come from when they prepare to say the creed. Where have they been the week before? Some of them have been in grief; they have lost a spouse or loved one; or some have had life tumble in on them in disappointments and troubles. And then they say the creed. What are they saying except that ‘I still believe this; things seem to be going to rot around me and other supports seem to have crumbled, but this is my God and I am still confessing him.’ What a privilege to exercise such defiance!
But the creed is defiant is another way. Think where people come from when they prepare to say the creed. Where have they been the week before? Some of them have been in grief; they have lost a spouse or loved one; or some have had life tumble in on them in disappointments and troubles. And then they say the creed. What are they saying except that ‘I still believe this; things seem to be going to rot around me and other supports seem to have crumbled, but this is my God and I am still confessing him.’ What a privilege to exercise such defiance!
No comments:
Post a Comment