Readings for today: Psalms 120-123, 1 Corinthians 6
Psalms of Ascent. Many believe these were the songs Israel sang as they ascended to Jerusalem to keep the three annual festivals detailed in Deuteronomy 16. They are songs of worship. Songs of praise. Songs of thanksgiving. They express the deep gratitude the people feel towards God for all He has done for them. They sing them together. They sing them as they gather. They sing them in good times. They sing them in bad times. One can almost imagine thousands coming to Jerusalem all singing these songs with one voice. It must have been a powerful, moving scene. In addition, many scholars believe these were the songs Israel sang at different high points in their history like the dedication of Solomon’s Temple or the rebuilding of the walls during Nehemiah’s time. Over and over again, Israel returned to these psalms to express their faith and trust in God.
Christians have built on this tradition. Many churches throughout the world sing these psalms in worship. The Eastern Orthodox Church sings these psalms every Friday during Vespers. The Roman Catholic Church schedules these psalms to be sung during daily prayer. The goal is to remind Christians we are on our own pilgrimage to a Heavenly Jerusalem and these psalms build the spiritual intensity of the worship service as we prepare for the reading of the gospel. It’s a powerful thing to experience.
These psalms are favorites among believers. Especially in times of trouble. In times of plague and pandemic. In times of national or personal crisis. In such times, we cling to the language of God protecting us. God guiding us. God providing for us. God helping us. “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalms 121:1-2) “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” (Psalm 122:1) “To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us.” (Psalms 123:1-2) There is something special that happens when we gather to sing these praises. Something deeply transformative. Something life-changing. We are encouraged. We are strengthened. We are blessed by the experience of being in God’s presence together and given the strength to endure.
The last year to 18 months have challenged Christians all over the world to think about the priority of corporate, gathered worship. What once may have seemed optional or discretionary or perhaps even disposable has taken on a new importance. You never know what you’ve lost until it’s gone, right? We’ve weathered “shelter in place” orders and restrictions on mass gatherings. We’ve endured fear and grief and loss and loneliness. Many of us know loved ones who got sick or perhaps even died. And the new Delta variant raises new fears of potential lockdowns. Our collective suffering creates a deep longing in our hearts. A longing for connection. A longing for physical touch. A longing for the presence of other people. Friends, God put these longings in our hearts. God hardwired these longings deep within our souls. It is never good for human beings to be alone and we are all struggling with the effects of this lonely, difficult season.
Thankfully, we can still gather. Some of us will choose to gather physically. Some will choose to gather virtually. While the latter is not an adequate replacement for the former, it is a blessing for those who may be sick or homebound or traveling or distant from those they love. As we gather, we sing. We sing the songs of ascent. We sing the praises of God. This is what Christians have done for thousands of years. Yes, even in the midst of pandemics like the Spanish flu or the Bubonic plague or when other diseases have ravaged the earth. I know many of us worship Jesus daily on our own. I know many of us experience Jesus profoundly as we hike or hunt or spend time in nature. But neglecting the worship of God with the people of God places us at risk. Especially in a time like this. Furthermore, it places us out of step with thousands of years of Christian history. It places us out of step with the will of God as revealed in Scripture. It’s frankly arrogant and prideful and foolish to claim we don’t need the church. God loves His bride. God loves His children. God loves having His family together. God loves hearing His people sing. God loves meeting His people in the sacraments. God loves teaching His people through His Word. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I among them." (Matthew 18:20)
Friends, I know this continues to be a challenging time. I know this continues to be a difficult season. I know many of us are tired and weary and ready to get back to “normal”…whatever that may be. My encouragement to you is to use this time to make corporate worship a priority. Plant your flag in the ground. Take a stand for your faith. Don’t let the devil gain a foothold in your life. Make sure God gets the time He deserves and the worship He demands. Don’t fall into the trap of giving up your Sunday mornings with God’s people! Don’t let anything come between you and your first love!
Readings for tomorrow: None