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Easter Concert 2019


Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (Psalm 51: 10-12)


            Christ is Risen!
                He is risen indeed!
                Hallelujah!
        That’s how we’re supposed to respond. Easter should be a thousand times more joyous to us than Christmas, and ten thousand times more exciting than Mardi Gras. And as usual, as I contemplate what to say on this wonderful, glorious, joyous, awesome, victorious birthday of all Christians, resurrection celebration in honor of our risen Lord and Savior, both God and man, Jesus Christ!
                I’m reading a pair of very similar books about how we express and experience our love for God. I know people who are better at mixing it up than I am. Some people go somewhere to watch the sunrise. Generally speaking, I’d rather think than feel, but these books are making me think that next year, and even to the extent that I can manage it in the next twenty-four hours, I need to try other avenues of adoration. There are nine from which we may choose, or even mix and match: 
Activism: Loving God through confrontation with evil. Especially on Easter, we should celebrate His victory
Ascetism: Loving God through solitude and simplicity – setting aside the weekend as a silent retreat spent in Scripture and meditation. 
Caregiving: Loving God through serving others
Contemplation: Loving God through adoration
Enthusiasm: Loving God through mystery and celebration
Intellectualism: Loving God through the mind
Naturalism: Loving God through experiencing Him outdoors
Sensate: Loving God through the senses 
Traditionalism: Loving God through ritual and symbol
                Of course, it wouldn’t hurt any of us to plan vacations into other worship worlds. With that in mind, here’s my Easter concert…a step into either the sensate or the enthusiastic worship worlds. May it restore to you the joy of your salvation.      

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