In the main auditorium we sing and sway - tiredness and marks the gathering but there is too a determination to be together fully in our last day. Nigel comes to the stage - it really is good to see him well again - in an All Blacks shirt (the New Zealand Rugby team). He invites us to pray with those sat next to us for the day ahead.
We sing:
We stand and lift up our hands
For the joy of the Lord is our strength...
Together we sing, everyone sing...
Holy is the LORD God Almighty!
God of wonders,
beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
The universe declares Your majesty
You are holy, holy
We sing and then pause, silently remembering and praying for our brothers and sisters without the freedom to gather to worship. It seems right to pause here - God is Holy and before our Holy God we pray for boldness and faithfulness for the persecuted church.
A brother comes and prepares us to hear a greeting from a General Secretary who could not be with us because of tensions. He speaks of the growth of a movement in the pressures of a muslim nation. He talks of the conversion of one muslim student. Books helped this man to understand the work of God in Him. The Gen Sec asks for help - for those who have more liberty and those in a really pressured part of the work. The gathering clap the video - needing someway to express the love.
Nigel comes to the stage - my seatmate says, OH OH! - Daniel Bourdanne hugs Nigel in a slightly awkward way. Photo's will flood the internet no doubt. If so I'll put one here.
Daniel begins to speak of how our time today is about processing the work - we need to be fresh in order to process the work. We must be ready to take off and be ready to apply.
Nigel explains he's appreciated the focus on the cross, on Jesus and on the sufficiency - asks how do we keep it clear.
Daniel speaks of understanding for ourselves what the cross means in the centre of our lives, then we must understand the implications of this focus - not a simple theological commitment but a life commitment. Sometimes we only go half the journey - we think carefully but we do not live carefully.
There will be varying Scripture readings - first one will be translated but the second not. Marilyn Stewart will lead us in Scripture engagement.
Daniel prays:
Heavenly father this is our last day together. We want to open our hearts and minds, for what you have prepared for us - for dessert in this feast. We are looking forward to the beautiful food you have prepared for us, to help us today. You may have a special thing for us, use the opportunity of this day to make it available to us, we want to be fed by you and the work of Your Holy SPirit in our lives. Bless us, bless our speaker who will be sharing with us.
Marilyn speaks to us
Morning - is it really our last day together. Our hearts turn to home, thinking about packing, about fitting books in. It would be easy today to be distracted and to miss what God is saying. Sit back and settle into the day. Sit back and hold your palms up. Sit back and take a few deep breaths. Bring to mind the things that you have brought to this day. Ask the Lord for the help you need.Lord our prayer is that we would remain open to you in us and about us, keep us attentive to you this day.
Now turn your palms down, take another deep breath. THis IS the day that that Lord has made and we WILL rejoice and be glad in it. The Scripture today invites us into the joyful worship of our God.
Listen to Ps 145 as it is brought to us by our readers: students come to the stage again to present the passage. Voices from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe echo around the auditorium. It is so humbling.
1 I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
5 They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.[b]
6 They tell of the power of your awesome works—
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
7 They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
5 They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.[b]
6 They tell of the power of your awesome works—
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
7 They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
slow to anger and rich in love.
9 The LORD is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.
10 All your works praise you, LORD;
your faithful people extol you.
11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
he has compassion on all he has made.
10 All your works praise you, LORD;
your faithful people extol you.
11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The LORD is trustworthy in all he promises
and faithful in all he does.[c]
14 The LORD upholds all who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
and faithful in all he does.[c]
14 The LORD upholds all who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all he does.
18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
20 The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
and faithful in all he does.
18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
20 The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.
Footnotes:
Marilyn invites us to read the psalm for ourselves - note that captures your atttention: a word, a phrase a thought... turn to the person next to you and discuss what you have noticed. My observation/question is about the Kingship of God. King David rejoices to love The King. I wonder how people who do not know or have Kings.
here are the things I have noticed.
We stand to sing. The songs cous on the goodness of God, on the lamb on the throne, the great saviour. The musical instruments stop but our voices are still raised:
- Psalm 145:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which (including verse 13b) begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
- Psalm 145:5 Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text On the glorious splendor of your majesty / and on your wonderful works I will meditate
- Psalm 145:13 One manuscript of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text do not have the last two lines of verse 13
here are the things I have noticed.
David's experience of kings is varied. David doesn't define Kingship by his experience - he speaks to Him who is King and LORD.
This is an acrostic poem - we cannot appreciate it in translation: it is an painstaking process of creation - it takes time and attention, he meditates, chews them over and praise wells up within him: God is the object and subject of his affections. David is a writer to the glory of God - the praise and worship.
In vs 1-7 God is addressed personally and the praise of David becomes all encompassing. The word ALL is used over 20 times in this psalm. This is our experience here - the work of God in us expands our hearts in praise as we hear of His work among the peoples of IFES. We read verse 13 together.
Verse 8 is the central statement of the Psalm: Gracious and compassionate, slow to anger. This is God's own self description (Ex 34:6 and elsewhere http://goo.gl/zQcWj ) What does it mean to live like this?
It is sobering to reflect that we can be busy, active and engaged. We can be effective but forget this truth. I was a servant but not a daughter. I wanted to be clear that God had love for me but I thought God was about how I thought of Him. I began with myself and how I felt. I defined God by my perspecitve - I memorised this verse and began to recite it when I needed to be reminded of who God is. Slowly I came to know that God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love/mercy. This is the start of my day, my posture toward God and the world. Is it frustrating work and discouraging - of course it is student world. However, is God good? Of course and we must know it.
God will not abandon me, he does not leave us - we watch for God at work, remember him at work and see the glory of his works. We see David's activity in this remembering in th verses that follow verse 8. He is near - the nearness of a friend. God hears , saves us, watches over us. These are present tense attributes and actions of God Himself in the lives of His broken people. God's intentions toward those who love Him are for good.
Take the time to read through verses 8-20. Note the affirmations of your heart and see the places where it is hard to affirm.
An actor takes to the stage - he performs the text of the psalm. Holding a crown, placing it down on a table, singing the refrain "The Lord is gracious and compassionate". He whispers the final verse "My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord"
Take the postcard you were given at the beginning of the session and write in the yellow space on it something that you would like 'to take with you', remember as you leave this place.
We leave this place and some will leave to difficult, suffering, distressing places and circumstances. We do not return alone - because this is true of who God is. We can say with David, we will praise His Name, each day.
We stand to sing. The songs cous on the goodness of God, on the lamb on the throne, the great saviour. The musical instruments stop but our voices are still raised:
Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God to Thee
How great thou art
How GREAT THOU ART!
Nigel comes up front and expresses appreciation for Marilyn and the other contributors. Nigel speaks confirming details of departure. And the details of the rest of our time. Nigel says goodbye as this is his last time as MC and there is a standing ovation. It is funny - he makes it clear that a lot of people have made this week happen and he isn't one of them. He reminds us - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and friendship together in God.
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