Regarding Liturgies and “Every Moment Holy”

Every Moment Holy

Today I’d like to do something a little different: rather than waxing eloquent about a poem or author, I’d like to recommend a book I’ve never read. Sound risky? Maybe so, but read on to see why I’m willing to take this risk.

While browsing through the recent posts of Andrew Peterson’s “The Rabbit Room” website, I stumbled across an article entitled “A Liturgy for Setting Up a Christmas Tree.” Obviously, my curiosity was piqued. I remembered that The Rabbit Room had published a collection of modern liturgies for everyday situations, but I never got around to ordering one last year. I sure meant to, though, since I love so much of what comes from Andrew Peterson and the folks he endorses.

I dug a little deeper and found an article in which Peterson explains the purpose of this book. He says, “Doug McKelvey’s Every Moment Holy reminds us that there are no unsacred moments; there are only sacred moments and moments we have forgotten are sacred.” And this reminder was just what I needed to hear.

Why Liturgy?

Maybe the better question to begin with is, “What is liturgy?” I looked up several definitions and examples, and they all seem to say the same thing: liturgy is a religious tradition made up words and sometimes actions in which one person leads and the congregation participates. Often, liturgy refers to a set reading or a performed ritual. From these definitions, you may be getting the impression that liturgies are pretty boring. Granted, it’s not a word that usually connotes much excitement or enthusiasm.

So why recommend a book of liturgical prayers, especially one I’ve never read? Because, until I read the article by Andrew Peterson, I had forgotten how helpful these sorts of prayers can be. In my own pursuit of God, I’ve read two or three books that fall into this category of laid-out prayers, and they have all been immensely helpful. Let me share a couple of them with you.

Handbook to Prayer

First, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed a tiny little book called “Handbook to Prayer: Praying Scripture Back to God,” by Kenneth Boa. Now, Kenneth Boa didn’t really write the book, per se, since almost the entire thing is made up of scripture passages. But he selected the passages, arranged them by topic, and laid out a way to pray through various aspects of the Christian life for each day. Each day’s prayer includes scriptures of adoration, confession, renewal, petition, intercession, affirmation, thanksgiving, and closing prayer. While there’s nothing magical or extra-holy about praying through a book like this, I’ve found it very helpful. When I use it, it keeps my prayers from becoming lazy or drifting away entirely, which they sadly tend to do. Granted, this isn’t strictly liturgical because it is meant for private prayer instead of corporate, but its formulaic structure seemed similar enough to mention here.

The Valley of Vision

Second, I love the collection of Puritan prayers called “The Valley of Vision.” The Puritans in general were much cooler than we give them credit for, and this little gem is a great example of why. The book has collected old prayers in all kinds of categories, including redemption and reconciliation, penitence and depreciation, and gifts of grace. The prayers are so simple, honest, and deep that it makes me realize how shallow and rushed my own prayers often are. Praying along with these old saints helps focus my heart on things deeper and better than I would have thought of on my own. And while these aren’t necessarily laid out to be read in public worship, I’ve seen them used for that purpose to great effect.

Read These Articles

I’ve kept today’s post short and sweet in hopes that you’ll head over to the Rabbit Room website and read the two articles I’ve been talking about. First, read Andrew Peterson’s description of Every Moment Holy. I think you’ll find the explanation helpful and encouraging, even (or especially) if your church isn’t very liturgical.

Then, if you’re in the mood, read the prayer entitled “A Liturgy for Setting Up a Christmas Tree.” You may already have finished your decorating, but it’s not too late to use the tree as a reminder of the sacredness of every moment, especially in this Christmas season.

And if you’re up for even more, maybe we should both order a copy of Every Moment Holy. After all, our days have plenty of routine already; we may as well intend to sanctify the moments. Books of liturgy are a great practice to help us do just that.