It is no surprise that this year's presidential election has added to the stresses and anxieties of millions of Americans this year. I think Pastor George is the only one of my friends who was actually excited for Election Day. We all know that no matter who wins, not everyone is going to be happy. There are going to be many people who will be upset by the results.
Tomorrow, Christians around the world will be dedicating special time to pray for their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. The first Sunday of November is recognized by Christians as the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians (IDOP). Fittingly, this Sunday also happens to be November 1st, which according to the liturgical calendar is All Saints’ Day.
I had a scary night last night… I don’t even really know how to explain what happened, but I was lying in bed trying to fall asleep when all of a sudden, these dark thoughts started swirling around in my head. I couldn’t shake this sense of fear and anxiety.
At our Thursday night “Center Church” Bible study we talked about the city, which got my brain jogging and made me think of the song, “City on Our Knees.” So of course, I have to use this song for today’s Selah Saturday!
Last Sunday evening I went to a friend’s house for a small get together. He had just built this nice picnic table and invited a few friends over to be the first to use it. It was a fun evening filled with joy and laughter.
A couple weeks ago Pastor George gave a sermon about the sin of envy. Later that week, I became envious. Hmm…I think God was trying to teach me something. You see, I’ve always had this issue with envy.
Last Sunday, our congregation safely gathered outdoors to praise God through song for the first time since March. It felt so good to be able to sing with others again! I’m always singing and playing music at home by myself, but there’s something about singing with other Christians that is so encouraging and powerful.
Imagine taking your most prized possession, something valuable, and breaking it—not accidentally, but on purpose. Your reason for doing so? To honor someone. You might think that’s crazy. Why break something like that and waste it on someone else? In Mark chapter 14 we read about a woman who did just that—she came up to Jesus, broke open a very expensive jar of perfume, and anointed him in a beautiful act of worship.
Pastor George loves catechisms. So, in honor of Pastor George’s one-year anniversary of being CPC’s pastor, I’d like to discuss a song that has its foundations in a catechism question. If you’ve been paying attention to Pastor George’s Theologs, or to the liturgy we use in our church services, you’ve probably noticed that Pastor George talks a lot about catechisms. Catechisms are basically summaries of Christian beliefs that are posed in a question and answer format. They are confessions of faith.
I’m tired. Are you tired? I don’t just mean physically tired, like you’re ready to go bed (although I feel that way, too). I mean the mentally and emotionally exhausted kind of tired. I think we can all agree that life in 2020 has not been easy. Right now, I have a lot of friends who are going through rough times, not all related to coronavirus chaos. They are feeling worn and are losing hope fast. As a nurse working during a pandemic, I am feeling worn as well. So today, I’d like to introduce to you a song that shares this sentiment. The lyrics are honest, and in my opinion, they are meant to be sung as a prayer.
