Liturgy

Written by Shireen Eldridge

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What is Liturgy

Liturgy is a rhythm of worship. It’s repeated words, prayers, scripture, or actions we can use to remind us of who God is and who we are in Christ. Liturgy is the Gospel put on repeat, because we are a people who are prone to forget. When we don’t have words or know what to do, going to a liturgical prayer or practice helps focus our hearts and minds back on the Lord. This can be done alone with God or in community with others. Your life already has liturgies, like reading your emails when you wake up, so why not find new ones that recenter your heart towards remembering God?

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Scripture

Before beginning this practice, take a moment to read the scripture below.

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“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
Acts 2:42 (NIV)

How to practice Liturgy

For our purposes, we will focus on written liturgy. You can do a quick Google search and find a liturgy about almost anything! Which is great when you need a specific prayer or encouragement to guide you in a specific season. Once you find one that resonates with your soul, then take these next steps. We have provided a short one below if you don’t have one.

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“You have made us for Yourself, O Lord,
and our hearts are restless
until they rest in You.”

–St. Augustine

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  1. Find a quiet space
  2. Read the Liturgy. Once, quietly to yourself.
  3. Meditate on the words and how to connect your heart back to God.
  4. Read it a second time, maybe this time outloud.
  5. Ask God to settle this truth in your soul and recenter your mind and heart back to Christ.
  6. Now try doing this daily, or even a couple times in your day. Repetition is at the heart of the practice of liturgy!

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Questions

Return to these questions after doing the practice. Take your time thoughtfully answering each question. You may want to write down your answers, ponder them quietly or even talk about them with someone else.

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  1. How has infusing this practice in your day or week shaped you? Did you find that it helped your mind and heart recenter?
  2. Do you like the repetition of liturgy?
  3. What new liturgies have you discovered that speak to your soul? Did they help you find words for how you felt or ways to connect to God in prayer?

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