The Rambling Disciple

I've talked on here before that written prayers are actually quite beneficial. Most Christians I know are wary of any sort of prayer that isn't spontaneous and impromptu. That is just a result of our tradition and the way we have always defined prayer.  Today I want to encourage everybody to try praying through the book of Psalms. We often refer to this book as "the song book in the Bible" but it would be more accurate to refer to it as the "prayer book." We mustn't forget that most hymns and songs of praise are simply prayers put to music, at least the best ones are anyway. Praying through the Psalms is a tried and true discipline of the Christian faith. It has been done since the beginning and practiced consistently throughout. The Psalms represent the full range of human experience. There is joy, grief, anger, praise, longing, and thanksgiving. In fact, the book of Psalms is the most quoted Old Testament book in the New Testament.  Try praying one psa

Hymns and songs of praise are some of the most powerful, transformative, and beautiful things we can experience. There are many that encourage us, motivate us, and help us to encounter Christ in worship and reflection. When our hymns are theologically sound, God centered, and musically pleasing there is almost no better way to learn theology and worship. There is, however, one area in particular where I believe our hymns and songs are lacking. When we look at the book of Psalms we see psalms of praise, thanksgiving, and joy but we also see another type of psalm rather frequently. These are psalms of sadness, grief, and anguish. These are psalms of lament. Out of 150 psalms 42 are psalms of lament, both individual and communal. That is almost one third of all the psalms in the Bible. The reason why is simple; grief, pain, and loss are a constant part of human life. Sadness, depression, and doubt are just as much a part of living as happiness, thanksgiving, and celebration. The book of P

This post will be a short one today. All I want to do is remind everyone to praise God no matter the circumstance because he is worthy of our praise. Even when things don't go our way, or the storm of life racks us hard God is worthy of praise. I think we say that God is worthy without always contemplating or even attempting to understand what that means. God is worthy of our praise no matter what our situation because God has made us. There wouldn't be a situation in our lives if it weren't for God. The very fact that we draw breath, love fiercely, and have today is because of God.  That is something that is altogether good. Creating and sustaining life is one of the things that God alone can do, and it is good. No matter how dangerous the storm or uncertain the season, you exist. That is a good thing. You existing means that you are loved by one who's love is infinite and eternal. Your very existence is a testament to your incalculable worth.  So praise God no matter

Is faith primarily a communal or individual thing? Throughout recent history we would have answered that faith is primarily an individual concern. Though all Christians recognize in some form or fashion a call to gather together, we have treated faith as a primarily private and personal affair. This has led to a very consumeristic version of Christianity. People shop around at different churches like they would test drive cars. They compare features and accessories to see which one fits their "needs" and preferences. This individualistic faith means that everyone's opinions and views on God and the Bible count equally, no matter how outlandish the view. While I think we have often erred on the side of individuality far too often and too strongly over the years, the solution is not to overreact and err on the side of community. If faith is only a communal thing, then there are no unique gifts or insights that can be offered by individuals. There is only what the tradition