It's hard to be disciplined in praise. At least I find it so. Maybe there is enough Type A in me to want to speed to the prayers of confession and intercession. I want to make my sins and requests known and then got in with the rest of the day. But to be a pray-er of the Psalms is to find a discipline in praise. As Lewis reminds us, God would have us praise him in order that we might discover the joy of discovering more of who he is:
"In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him. Meanwhile of course we are merely, as Donne says, tuning our instruments. The tuning up of the orchestra can be itself delightful, but only to those who can in some measure, however little, anticipate the symphony. The Jewish sacrifices, and even our own most sacred rites, as they actually occur in human experience, are, like the tuning, they may have in them much duty and little delight; or none. But the duty exists for the delight. When we carry out our 'religious duties' we are like people digging channels in a waterless land, in order that when at last the water comes, it may find them ready.' (Reflections on the Psalms, p. 97)
Maybe a disciplined reading of the Psalms would be our channel digging?
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How wonderful to know Lewis loved Psalm 19!!! I am the Mom of Laura, the violist who played with Kiley in yesterday's service. Lewis' Mere Christianity was the book that "planted the seeds of faith" in my heart two decades ago and my whole family are devoted Lewis fans! Thanks for your wonderful sermon!!!!! Jean Gutsche
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear of your Lewis passion, Jean. Join us for our Lewis Reading Group. We meet on periodic Tuesdays, the next one June 23 when we talk about Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe.
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