Matthew 2:11 “So they went into the house and saw the little child with his mother Mary. And they fell on their knees and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts—gold, incense and myrrh.”
There was no liturgy, no formal order of service, the wisemen on seeing the Christ Child, fell to their knees and worshipped.
William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury (1942-44), wrote: “Worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by his holiness; the nourishment of mind with his truth; the purifying of imagination by his beauty; the opening of the heart to his love; the surrender of will to his purpose – and all of this gathered up in adoration.”
The magi had purposefully journeyed with a distinct purpose in mind, they were diligent in their search and in their searching they found the Christ. To worship God “in truth” is to worship God not as we think him to be, not as we hope him to be, not as we’d like him to be, but as he is. When people “see God” as he is, worship happens. Indeed as we read later in the gospels “When they saw him, they worshipped him.” The revelation of God’s person prompts worship.
O Star-flinging God,
whose light dances across eternity,
dazzle us into your presence
this new year.
Open our hearts to the mystery of your love.
Awaken us to your presence,
knit to the ordinary.
Reveal to us what is possible, but not yet present.
Heal us, that we might be healers.
Reconcile us to you and to ourselves,
that our living might be reconciling.
Stop us often, we pray
with news that is good
with hope that holds
with truth that transforms with a Word
tailored to this trail we're on.
May the word of your grace guide our steps
like the sun by day
and the north star by night,
as we travel into the gift of a new year. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment