I'm often struck, when I enter the church, with how familiar some things are. This morning, we sang Saviour, like a shepherd lead us, (a hymn we often sang in the church I grew up in) and we recited the 23rd Psalm. Both are embedded deep in my soul and it is comforting to hear the words again.
Rev. Johnston is starting a new series over the summer on Philippians, today it was the first few verses in Chapter 1. These words aren't new to me, and it's a comfort to be reminded that God's grace is his promise to us - it's nothing earned on our own merit.
However, the problem with familiar words is just that - the are comfortable. I love the traditional worship at St. Andrew's because there are rarely any surprises. I find I can focus on worship without worrying about what's going to happen next. But that's a two edged sword - it's not always good to be comfortable in the pews. It could be easy just to turn off your brain and just go with the flow, not bothering to take anything new from the old, old story. Not bothering to remember that Christianity is love in action, not just old hymns and familiar Psalms.
What about you? Were the words sung and spoken this morning familiar to you, or were they new? Do you find comfort in the familiar, or do you look for new ways to learn about the old promises?
Maureen.
