Daily Worship

Not fall… But bow

Amanda MacQuarrie July 31, 2022 0 1
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Image credit: Unsplash
Listen to this daily worship

Psalm 138 (NRSVA)

1 I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
    before the gods I sing your praise;
2 I bow down towards your holy temple
    and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness;
    for you have exalted your name and your word
    above everything.
3 On the day I called, you answered me,
    you increased my strength of soul.

4 All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord,
    for they have heard the words of your mouth.
5 They shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
    for great is the glory of the Lord.
6 For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly;
    but the haughty he perceives from far away.

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
    you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies;
you stretch out your hand,
    and your right hand delivers me.
8 The Lord will fulfil his purpose for me;
    your steadfast love, O Lord, endures for ever.
    Do not forsake the work of your hands.

What happens when we move our bodies toward God?

When we see who He is, when we are reminded of who we are?

What else but worship!

 

Turning,

In response to your call,

Ears, eyes, head, shoulders, chest…

All move before, at last, feet.

 

And turning to you we,

Not fall –

For falling doesn’t suggest choice or will –

But bow.

Slowly, mindfully,

Lowering self to the ground,

Knees scraping earth, hands dirty,

As breath escapes.

 

Wonder fills the space

And, as our gaze shifts and focuses on what is now before,

All that is left behind falls away.

It’s your awesome faithfulness, your extravagant love,

That fills our view.

And deep inside,

A well of praise bubbles up,

And overflows.

For YOU are God,

The One whose hand protects me,

The One who loves me and has plans for my good,

And the One who each time I return, 

Welcomes me home.

 

For our July theme In Good Time we are revisiting past weeks of Daily Worship. Our writers this month are taking us back in time as we meditate on time itself! The piece above originally came from 2018.