2006 has been quite quiet for me on the blogging front so far. I have found myself ‘word dry’ with nothing of worth to write about. In addition I have been immersed in books on the history of daily prayer and mulling over what angle I can take.

I am currently thinking along 2 lines; the possibility that the prescribed liturgy in the form of daily office is nothing other than an attempt to control the people rather than a genuine and honest desire to enable people to worship. I’m not sure – it may work!

My other idea is to look at the rise of new contemporary (or is it the re-discovery of)Celtic orders of Office such as from the Northumbria Community, Iona and so on and how these have adapted from other services of daily prayer and what it is they are trying o achieve.

As it looks at the moment I am struggling and grasping for inspiration!

In my reading and investigation, however, I have been thinking on the whole subject of worship generally. IN my research I found this quote from Penham:

‘Worship is to enable us to reach up to grasp the heel of heaven, to glimpse, albeit imperfectly and fleetingly, the life of heaven, to plug in, for a moment, to the worship of the angels and the praises of the saints … we do not create worship; we simply join ourselves for a while to the perpetual worship around the throne of God.’

Isn’t that an amazing thought!

I really have grown up in an environment of where worship is about what we bring, giving ourselves to God and all of that. I still believe there is truth in that outlook. To worship (and prayer is part of this) as the whole church, however, must include the part of the church that is not here, but that part already in heaven – the angels and the saints!

To think that I am joining in each morning with the party going on around the throne of God is simply mind-blowing! I’m even smiling as I type!