Psalm: Creation After Joseph Haydn, “Die Schöpfung: Erster Teil” Why all these bodies, and why should persons be able to communicate with each other? And why trees and earth and water and fire and wind and lions and lambs and lilies and birds and bread and wine? (John Piper, This Momentary Marriage)
Category Archives: Devotional
Collects: Sparrows (After Knut Nystedt and Anathallo)
Collects: Sparrows After Knut Nystedt, “Prayers of Kierkegaard, Pt. 3: Great Are You, O God” and Anathallo, “Sparrows” I. When under the arch of heaven I stand surrounded by the wonders of creation, I rapturously and adoringly praise your greatness, you who lightly hold the stars in the infinite and concern yourself fatherly with theContinue reading “Collects: Sparrows (After Knut Nystedt and Anathallo)”
Psalm: Chorale (The Cornucopia of Heaven)
Early on Saturday morning, the fire brigade was called to my church – a 150-year-old heritage-listed building on the corner of one of Melbourne’s most iconic streets, and the building which my fiancée and I recently booked to celebrate our marriage. That day, the Bible reading my church family was looking at in our devotional timesContinue reading “Psalm: Chorale (The Cornucopia of Heaven)”
Catechism 38
What is prayer? Prayer is pouring out our hearts to God in praise, petition, confession of sin, and thanksgiving. (New City Catechism) Sometimes with words, sometimes with hearts groaning, fists shaking, a silent rumble. Sometimes with hope, sometimes in anguish, with little to hold, save Prayer’s ladder. Sometimes with sight, sometimes desperate, aching, every breath,Continue reading “Catechism 38”
Psalm: Lilies (The Cornucopia of Heaven)
After Antonio Vivaldi, “Le Quattro Stagioni – La Primavera: II. Largo” Creator God, whose praise and power are proclaimed by the whole creation: receive our morning prayers, we pray… (A Prayer Book for Australia) Consider how the lilies open – Watch them enter into light… Solomon in all his splendour wasContinue reading “Psalm: Lilies (The Cornucopia of Heaven)”
Psalm: Birdsong (The Cornucopia of Heaven #4)
Psalm: Birdsong After Olivier Messiaen, “Catalogue d’Oiseaux” O praise the Lord from the earth… Beasts of the wild, and all cattle: creeping things and winged birds… (Psalm 148:7a, 10)
Canticle (The Cornucopia of Heaven #3)
Canticle After Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, “Venite Exultemus Domino” So lift – lift high the horn of praise O praise – O come to praise the One who made the dawn and made the stars and gave the dawn to brighten hearts and praise the morning star of Truth, praise Him who hurls! the hailContinue reading “Canticle (The Cornucopia of Heaven #3)”
Call to Praise (The Cornucopia of Heaven #2)
Call to Praise After Gustav Holst, “Psalm 148: Lord, Who Has Made Us for Thine Own” His glory is above earth and heaven: and he has lifted high the horn of his people. (Psalm 148:14) Listen: what begins small soon grows… Let our voices rise – Continue reading “Call to Praise (The Cornucopia of Heaven #2)”
The Cornucopia of Heaven – Prayer of Preparation
Prayer of Preparation After Gustav Holst, “Psalm 86: To My Humble Supplication” Teach my dullness, guide my blindness (Joseph Bryan) We begin small – a seed, a pod, a bud, soon bursting, soon breaking out into light. Hear strings rise. Hear spirits lift their weary, slowing hands. See the sun open up the day. SeeContinue reading “The Cornucopia of Heaven – Prayer of Preparation”
Catechism 37
Catechism 37 How does the Holy Spirit help us? The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin, comforts us, guides us, gives us spiritual gifts and the desire to obey God; and he enables us to pray and to understand God’s Word. (New City Catechism) Dove: my best attempts are straw. My righteousness is dust,Continue reading “Catechism 37”
The Consolations of Writing 