The Liturgy Teaches

I just started reading a book that I’ll be reviewing later on, Be Thou My Vision by Jonathan Gibson. It is meant to be used during daily family or individual devotional time, and it is presented in the form of a liturgy. Looking through it reminded me of how much the liturgy teaches us.

The liturgical year and the seasons of the church lead us through the life of Christ. The readings help us to learn Scripture and to see the connection between the Old and New Testaments. The Creeds remind us of exactly what we believe. The confession and absolution teach us that we are forgiven children of God; the Lord’s Prayer and other corporate prayers teach us to intercede for others. In the sermon we hear God’s Word applied to our life. Hymns teach us too, the words often coming directly from the Bible, or expressing spiritual truths in a way that makes it easy to memorize and understand.

This teaching tool is quite a gift, and one that we often take for granted. Sadder still, sometimes we find it boring, outdated and rote, when the purpose is to awaken us week after week to the blessings that are ours. The liturgy is an important spiritual discipline and one that is easy to practice. Treasure the liturgy and don’t neglect it! It will shape and change you in ways that you never expected.

For more about the liturgy see:

Learning from the Liturgy

The Laity and Liturgy

Liturgy as Prayer