This session is approximately 12 minutes in length. Lauren packs a lot into these minutes. You won't be disappointed.
Session 1 "Call to Worship" notes:
Lauren begins by saying there's something about the Psalms that can work their way into our hearts. She expresses that the Psalms in the Bible are "meant to be experienced, especially in the corporate setting".
Psalm 107 is read by Lauren over us (please read Psalms 107).
After reading this Psalm, Lauren discusses how she began studying Psalms 107 for herself. After entering the blog community with other moms who shared with each other advise and the ups and downs of motherhood and toddlers, one of her blog friends texted her about Psalms 107. "Hey, I want you to look at Psalms 107". As she began to read this Psalm, she was instantly drawn to study it.
Firstly, she was drawn to its form. She compares it to a worship song which has a good rhythm, flow and a repeated refrain "let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man".
Secondly, Lauren was drawn to its content. Psalm 107 has four scenarios mentioned:
- Dessert
- Chains
- Folly
- Storm
One scenario in particular Lauren was to experience just 24 hours later. She tells the story of her infant son having a febrile seizure, at which time she didn't know this was what it was. She depicts to us her fear, anxiety and "what if's" regarding this incident. In the midst of her fear, she thought of Psalms 107 - "maybe this is my storm."
Laying on the ambulance gurney with her son, Lauren's thoughts were "will he be okay? Will he be the son I had known or just a shadow of what he was?" While in the hospital, he was found to have had a febrile seizure and never had another one again.
The day before, after reading Psalms 107, the Lord had given her a picture of a heart wrung out, almost like a damp towel, she says, nothing flowing from it.....like worship.
Each scenario in this Psalm depicts people crying out to the Lord in their distress.
Lauren said this: "there may be times when worship flows easy and all is right with the world. There will be times when the worship is wrung out of your heart. Maybe at these times all we can get out is 'Lord, I need you'."
Each distress in Psalms 107 will be walked through in the sessions to come. We were encouraged to know that there is a steadfast love (Jesus) who is with us and who will not forsake us. He will be with us in:
- our dessert
- our chains
- our folly
- our storm
This Psalm, Lauren said, is also a call to worship. A call to worship is at the beginning of service. During this time, there is a call that goes out for the people to come and worship. Lauren describes two ways of seeing this call to worship:
- We are calling out to the Lord to be pesent with us; to be close and asking "would you come close, Lord Jesus".
- Also to call the people to worship. We are saying "remember, there is a God who is already here".
Lauren expresses to us that there is a God who is waiting and ready for us when we call out or cry out to Him.
Maybe during this study you're feeling great and fulfilled while others are feeling alone, emotionally spent, lean or just struggling through your day.
Her prayer is that we all will come just as we are and to know there is a God who is waiting for us in whatever season we find ourselves in right now.
Coming Up: Session 2
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