Feasting On the Pastoral Prayer

By Pastor Benjamin Glaser - Posted at Thoughts From Parson Farms:

Ways We Benefit Spiritually From This Part of the Worship Service

Good Morning,

Just as an FYI this is the next-to-last Thursday lesson on the pastoral prayer. I’ve noted before that we’ve spent so much time on this part of the worship service because it plays such an integral role in what we are doing together on Sunday mornings. We do pray of course in the evening, but that leads to more of an “open mic” approach where I take requests. This prayer is not so much predetermined as it is more organized in focus. Knowing then what to expect when I am leading us through the movements of the pastoral prayer can help us then be more engaged in what is going on through the power of the Holy Spirit in the promise of Christ and the Father.

The section we are going to look at today has to do with worship itself and how centering our hearts on the Lord Jesus moves us to sanctifying grace as God works in and through the prayer.

Let’s read today’s portion together:

And, with confidence of his mercy to his whole church, and the acceptance of our persons, through the merits and mediation of our High Priest, the Lord Jesus, to profess that it is the desire of our souls to have fellowship with God in the reverend and conscionable use of his holy ordinances; and, to that purpose, to pray earnestly for his grace and effectual assistance to the sanctification of his holy sabbath, the Lord’s day, in all the duties thereof, publick and private, both to ourselves, and to all other congregations of his people, according to the riches and excellency of the gospel, this day celebrated and enjoyed.

And because we have been unprofitable hearers in times past, and now cannot of ourselves receive, as we should, the deep things of God, the mysteries of Jesus Christ, which require a spiritual discerning; to pray, that the Lord, who teacheth to profit, would graciously please to pour out the Spirit of grace, together with the outward means thereof, causing us to attain such a measure of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord, and, in him, of the things which belong to our peace, that we may account all things but as dross in comparison of him; and that we, tasting the first-fruits of the glory that is to be revealed, may long for a more full and perfect communion with him, that where he is, we may be also, and enjoy the fulness of those joys and pleasures which are at his right hand for evermore.

That opening paragraph is so rich in the blessings of the Christian faith. We often short-change ourselves in not taking advantage of what is at offer in the worship of God. Most contemporary styles are heavy on puffed-up experience that engages the senses, leaving one emotionally, and maybe ear-tinglingly awake. Yet, like most endorphin-engaged activities the feeling only lasts for a moment. What the writers of the DPW are pointing to here is that the more we rest and grasp the work of the cross and the empty tomb seen in the sacrifice of Christ the more our souls are fed by this knowledge and as we bring our hearts to bear in praise the depth available will be with us in the week ahead. Concerts are fun and memorable, but they do not enrich the presence.

Continue here.