A personal liturgy gives you the chance to repeatedly spend a dedicated period of time with Scripture portions, hymns, prayers etc. that you treasure.
Such a liturgy can be used in connection with your quiet time, throughout the routines of your day, before going to bed, first thing in the morning, or at the beginning of a time of meditation.
Composing the liturgy
Choose a period of half an hour to an hour when you can be undisturbed and quiet. Relax yourself and commit the time to God. Ask Him to help you remember Scriptures, hymns, songs, written prayers etc. which, in the past, have deeply touched your heart. Once you feel focused and undistracted write down those items that come to your memory and select the ones that fit together.
Example liturgy structure
- A sentence of introduction: e.g. “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone.” Ps. 62:5
- A significant text from the Old Testament
- A meaningful passage from the New Testament
- A stanza from a hymn
- A prayer from the Bible or a devotional book
- A quotation from a man or woman of God
- A closing sentence
Try to keep the whole liturgy shorter than three minutes when you read it without rushing. Keeping it to three minutes means that you will soon know it from memory, making it available to you at different occasions during the day or night.
Personal Liturgy Example
Rest is not the absence of troubles, but the conviction that there is someone who will carry you through them.
“Unless the LORD builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city
the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil
for he gives his beloved sleep.” (Psalm 127)
Father, I confess that I have been focused on seeking acceptance through what I do — both from you, and from others. I have worked and strived to be seen as significant, and to avoid criticism and rejection.
“The bird does fly and sing, she makes nests and bears young. That is her work, yet she does not nourish herself thereby… Likewise, it is man’s duty to work and do things, and yet in it all to know that it is another who nurtures him: it is not his own work, but the bounteous blessing of God.” (Martin Luther)
“There is nothing better for us than to be joyful and to do good as long as we live; also that we all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all our work — this is God’s gift to man.” (Ecclesiastes 3)
Be still my soul: the Lord is on your side
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain
Leave to your God to order and provide
In every change, He will remain
Your Father comes out to you: “My son, my daughter, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours… Come in and celebrate.”