The Rhythm of Worship

To the left is the latest derivation of an image that I use to explain a right or "orthodox" understanding of worship and the Christian life. It centers in the fantastically succinct passage from the First Letter of John, verse 19: "We love because He first loved us."

Learning to understand worship and the Christian life in this way is transformative, which is why I like to say that to be "orthodox" is "to be transformed by the fact that God is the primary actor in worship."

I will let my readers ponder the implications of this truth, but it has been transformative for me and for many whom I have taught. Indeed, if the first purpose of worship (and of life for that matter) is to be loved by God through Jesus Christ, then "our" approach to worship takes on a different character for all of those involved.

***

For those who find this image helpful, here's the link to a downloadable copy: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Fb_BEFzdD819GJIOWpw3yw.

N.B. I want to give special thanks to Rev. Dr. Arthur A. Just, Jr., whose "Lutheran Worship" class will always be for me--to borrow the title of a book--the "all I ever really needed to know I learned in kindergarten" class.