Living Worship: The Word Read and Proclaimed

One afternoon when I was watching my five year old niece, she asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up.
“Well, I am studying to be a pastor,” I told her.
“What is that?” she asked.
“Well, remember the guy at Granny and Grandaddy’s church who says the prayers and talks about the Bible? I want to do what he is doing.”
“Oh…  well that is boring.”

Sure, maybe hearing Scripture read and sermons preached isn’t the most exciting thing in the world when you first think about it, but once you start digging in, it can be absolutely incredible!

I will be the first to admit that I am not always on top of daily devotions. Sometimes the day gets away with me and the only time I look at a Bible is when I am planning my next Sunday School class or worship. I admire my colleagues and friends who are able to carve out time for daily devotion, and as I focus on living my life as worship I am doing a little bit better job with this.

Researchers say that if we start our day by working out, we are more likely to make healthier decisions throughout the rest of the day. Our bodies feel clean and energized and we want to keep that feeling. We take the steps instead of the elevator, opt for the yogurt instead of the biscuit, and are generally happier and less likely to get upset (yay endorphins!) Morning devotions work in a similar way. When we take time to sit in the quiet and not just read Scripture, but pray about it and consider the way it not only fits into our lives but how our lives fit into it, our days end up looking very different. Our conversations and actions are guided by that time of devotion and our lives might feel a bit more open.

If you are like me and are skilled at finding excuses about why you are not able to do something, especially in the morning, I offer these devotion resources to you (think about these like the “Couch to 5k” method to daily devotion) :

Pray as You Go – a beautiful audio recording with monks chanting and calming voices reading and reflecting on scripture *This can be accessed both online and through your App store*

PC(USA) Book of Daily Prayer – In the App form, open this up any time of day and it will give you lectionary based scripture and prayer for that time of day (morning, afternoon, evening, and close of day) *This is available both in your App store and in book form*

d365 – written for youth, but a wonderful resource for anyone *This can be accessed both online and through your App store*

Presbyterians Today Advent Devotions *Free downloadable PDF*

Sojourners Daily Devotion – a social justice focused devotion which is sent straight to your inbox

Daily Feast – I love these brief devotions! When I need a technology break, I have this sitting within arm’s reach at my desk.

Daily devotions are not just something which we should check off on our daily to-do lists. Spending time reading and reflecting on God’s Word for us is a practice of self care which is far more important and life giving than a manicure or cup of coffee. When our days are guided by God’s Word, our actions and words take on new meaning and our relationships become more personal and grace filled; our grief finds comfort and our comfort finds challenge.

Reading and proclaiming God’s Word for us today doesn’t have to be boring and it doesn’t just happen on Sunday. When we really sit with God’s Word, we live with empowered hands and feet and see the world through a different lens!