Seven whole days not one in seven

There is a power in praise that lifts us out of ourselves and into the presence of God.  It’s not something to do only when we feel like singing the praises of God. It’s something to do when we don’t feel like it.  For it is then that God lifts us out of ourselves and into his presence.  There is a therapeutic power to praise that we neglect at our peril.

There is a wonder in worship that has the potential to shape the whole of our lives.  To spend time in worship is not simply one activity among many we squeeze into our busy lives.  To spend time in worship is to discover something that can give a shape to the whole of the rest of our lives.

Take time to worship, take time to praise and discover that the very worship we share, the very praise we offer can become the warp and the weft of the rich tapestry of our lives, the life-blood coursing through our veins, the breath of life itself that gives life to us day by day.

In conversation with the woman at the well in a village in Samaria Jesus spoke of a time that was coming and was in truth there when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.

Maybe, we worship the Father in spirit and in truth when worship and praise become part and parcel of the very way we lead our lives. Stanley Spencer, one of the artists in the wonderful exhibition at the Wilson, Still Small Voice, had exactly this sense of the presence of God in the ordinary, everyday things.  ““When I lived in Cookham I was disturbed by a feeling of everything being meaningless.  But quite suddenly I became aware that everything was full of special meaning and this made everything holy... I observed this sacred quality in most unexpected quarters.”  Join Hy-Way in visiting the exhibition on Wednesday, 22^nd April.

Seven whole days Seven whole days, not one in seven, I will praise I will worship Seven whole days, Not one in seven I will love God I will love neighbour Seven whole days, Not one in seven I will live for God I will live for others Seven whole days Not one in seven.

There is a power in praise that lifts us out of ourselves and into the presence of God. It’s not something to do only when we feel like singing the praises of God. It’s something to do when we don’t feel like it. For it is then that God lifts us out of ourselves and into his presence. There is a therapeutic power to praise that we neglect at our peril.

So, a pattern of prayer that includes praise – a frame of mind that gives thanks for the wonders of the world, counts your blessings and gives praise to God has a therapeutic value.

Even in the darkest depths … is there something to thank God for is a wonderful starting place.

Any thoughts to share?

What things can you praise and thank God for – maybe share with the person next to you.

But even more than that simply consider God in himself – the story of Jesus and give praise to God.  It’s quite deliberate that we meet for worship on a Sunday – there are signs of the first followers of Jesus meeting on the first day of the week to meet together for prayer and worship, for praise and celebration was the day of resurrection – so focus on Jesus, on his life, the love he shared the resurrection victory he won for us.

This activity, meeting together for worship, Sunday by Sunday is then something that gives us our bearing for the week that is to come … it is something that we can inject into the life we lead so that our praise and our worship gives a shape to the life that we lead.

There is a wonder in worship that has the potential to shape the whole of our lives. To spend time in worship is not simply one activity among many we squeeze into our busy lives. To spend time in worship is to discover something that can give a shape to the whole of the rest of our lives.

However that worship and that praise we do on a Sunday is something then that permeates the whole of our lives.

In the second part of ours ervice we are going to sing three hymns by someone who found the power in worship to shape the whole of life.

A high flyer who made it to Parliament and moved in the highest circles in the land, George Herbert gave it all up to become a humble parish priest and through his life tried to work out what it is ithat is important in life that gives shape to life as a whole.

He gloried in the presence of the risen Christ with us, a wonder that worship is all about –

King of glory, King of Peace,

I will love thee

Such glory, such peace as Jesus gives prompts us simply to love him in return.

And, that love may never cease,

I will move thee

I will be in touch and share my deepest concerns with you

Thou hast granted my request,

Thou hast heard me.

Thou didst note my working breast,

Thou hast spared me.

You have helped me, you have forgiven me, you have restored me …

That’s what we focus on – the glory, the peace of Chrsit.

So then …

Wherefore with my utmost art,

I will sing thee

And the cream of all my heart

I will bring thee

I will bring my very best to you in praise and worship.

Though my sisn against me cried,

Thou didst clear me

You have cleared my in spite of all my failings, my weaknesses and my sin.

And alone, when they replied,

Thou didst hear me.

you are the one to hear me, to forgive me and to love me.

So then what shall I do?

Seven whole days, not one in seven,

I will praise thee;

In my heart, though not in heaven,

I can raise thee.

It’s in my heart through that praise that I shall sense your presence.

Small it is in this poor sort

To enrol Thee;

E’n eternity’s too short

To extol thee.

Time is to short to understand Christ fully – but I will praise you with all my heart.

426 King of glory, king of peace

Take time to worship, take time to praise and discover that the very worship we share, the very praise we offer can become the warp and

the weft of the rich tapestry of our lives.  Wonderful image – in the prayer book we have been using this year.   The whole of life shot through with praise.

Praise becomes the life blood coursing through our veins, the breath of life itself that gives life to us day by day.

In conversation with the woman at the well in a village in Samaria

Jesus spoke of a time that was coming and was in truth there when

the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.

Maybe, we worship the Father in spirit and in truth when worship and

praise become part and parcel of the very way we lead our lives.

Stanley Spencer, one of the artists in the wonderful exhibition at the

Wilson, Still Small Voice, had exactly this sense of the presence of

God in the ordinary, everyday things. ““When I lived in Cookham I

was disturbed by a feeling of everything being meaningless. But

quite suddenly I became aware that everything was full of special

meaning and this made everything holy... I observed this sacred

quality in most unexpected quarters.” Join Hy-Way in visiting the

exhibition on Wednesday, 22nd April.

Stanley Spencer – in the ordinary every day a wonderful spirit of praise.

It’s in the ordinary, every day things that we find God’s presence is so real.

Possibly play Sara Iles’ lightbulb moment – walking humbly with God.

Seeing God in everything – in the ordinary every day – importance of the Hustings and questions to ask of our parliamentary candidates.

Indeed to see God in everything in the tiny things gives us grounds for praise and thanks … but also a way of shaping our lives.

That’s what George Herbert felt too …

Teach me, my God and king in all things thee to see,

And what I do in anything

To do it as for thee

All may of thee partake

Nothing can be so mean

Nothing is so tiny or insignificant as not to be done and so be improved with this attitude in mind – For thy sake.

George Herbert was fascinated with science – and in this poem that has come to be a hymn a special fascination with astronomy, with the eye glass you can simply look at and wonder at, but if you use it to look at the start then the heavens you espy!

He was also fascinated with alchemy

The tincture that makes all things different – is to do it For thy sake.

A servant with this clause

Makes drudgery divine

Who sweeps a room as for thy laws

Makes that and the action fine.

The most menial of tasks – do it for God’s sake and it becomes something special.

This is the famous stone

that turneth all to gold.

For that which God doth touch and own

Cannot for less be told.

Hymn 433 Teach me, my God and king

Prayers of Concern

Hymn 3 Let all the world in every corner sing.

Words of Blessing,