For: The Institute of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Red Online Worship History Course with Dan Wilt.
As we reflect on the languages of public prayer and public reading of Scripture in our Essentials*Red class, I’ve been led to a few thoughts:
The first is how self-focused our spirituality is. Rarely will we see our faith as a living dynamic between those of who journey around us. Yes, the reality of personal salvation and redemption is true, as well as the fact that each of us will individually stand before God on judgment day. However, we must also remember that God has called to himself a people (not a person), a building (not a brick), and a body (not a specific body part). Each of us uniquely plays a role, but let us not arrogantly assume our faith exists apart from community. Communal activities remind us we are not alone. As we find ourselves strong, we are called to lift those around us. As we find ourselves weak, we are called to be help up by those around us. As we hear each other speak, we are reminded of how big a God we serve is and how vast his attributes are. Without those around voicing their praises and perspectives, we would find ourselves with a less comprehensive vocabulary of worship.
Secondly, public prayer and public reading help remind us of their role in our personal lives. So often, I’ll find myself dry and unaware of even how to approach God. My words feel short and inadequate. Doubts surprise my faith with their strength. Whatever the case, something happens when a group of people get together to pray and read God’s Word. It’s almost as if there’s a cumulative “faith pot” in the middle of the room, and as people come in and pour out their hearts to God and others, that faith builds and becomes bigger than that individual person’s faith. We hear someone gratefully utter, “You are so so good to me…” Something in their voice strikes you as genuine and you too are reminded of God’s goodness to you and your family. Someone else speaks out of his faithfulness, and you’re in agreement again. Something grows within your heart, restoring lost trust, and as you leave that room and that group of people, it’s almost as if that cumulative faith is not left behind but taken with you. When you come home to pray in your room and your “closet”, suddenly your requests and cries and praises have more substance and weight to them. Public fuels the private.
Thirdly, private prayer feeds into public prayer. What do we have if it’s not truly a part of our lives? Jesus complained that people would worship God with their mouths but their hearts would be far from him. Private prayer and scripture reading increase our faith as we come back into the public settings. Maybe the week before, you dropped a mustard seed into the cumulative faith pot, but the week after you might throw 3 seeds in. I know it’s perhaps a lame analogy, but we must grasp how important it is for us to fast and pray and give to the poor not because we’re seen by the public eye but because we love God and want to serve him when no one else can see us and will acknowledge it (Matt. 6:1-18). There’s something beautiful and right about that, something I hope to do more. From that place of private interaction, we can come into the public places with more confidence because it’s a continuation of your life instead of something you’re trying to convince yourself of. Often I feel like I’m jump starting a car as I lead people in worship, or doing mouth to mouth resuscitation. There was no activity there to work from and build off of. Imagine a church completely surrendered to God in the public places as well as the private places!
So what do bicycles have to do with any of this? As you pedal a bicycle, imagine only having one leg, or one pedal for that matter. It’d definitely be an interesting sight. It would be awkward to start pedaling if the bike were stopped, needing much more force than if you had two. I wonder if our prayer life is similar to pedals on a bike. We need private prayer (one pedal) and public prayer (the other pedal). Each one feeds into the other and helps maintain balance and strength. Both legs are built up instead of just one. Would we learn how to continually live using both pedals!
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