August 5: Play to the Lord
Having trouble viewing this message? View it in your browser. http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=Fct0BH2ttKMpQHNTqqgu_A.. August 5, 2011 Play to the Lord Excerpt from Psalm 105 “Give thanks to Yahweh, call [God’s] name aloud, proclaim [God’s] deeds to the peoples! Sing to [God], play to [God}, tell over God’s marvels!” (Jerusalem Bible) Reflection by Anthony B. Robinson As it happens today is my birthday, so I figure that today’s Scriptures might have a special word for me. I think I found it in today’s psalm, second verse: “play to the Lord.” Imagine that: “play to God.” I confess, most of the time work comes easier to me than play. But if Jaco Hamman in his wonderful book, A Play-Full Life (new from The Pilgrim Press) is right, even that standard contrast of work and play is misleading. http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=W4KV3gNqdon-HuYoqsjX0w.. Hamman says that play “helps us to manage our destructiveness and rejuvenates the mind, much like deep sleep does.” But he also notes that in our culture play has been co-opted by other industries, such as the gambling industry, where one “plays the slots” and the sex industry, which offers “playmates.” Moreover, increasingly play costs money, becoming another consumer good. What does the psalmist mean by enjoining “play to God”? “Play to the Lord” means not letting worry and fear consume us. It means living life to the full, even amid adversity. It could mean resisting the many ways the world has developed to render people anxious, fearful, hopeless and violent. It might mean letting go and letting God. Play to the Lord. Try it today. I will. Prayer For bird-watching, listening to music, a bike ride on a country lane, a meal with friends, a walk with my wife, a hike with one of my sons, and standing in the river at dusk casting a fishing line, I thank you, good and play-full God. Amen. Anthony Robinson 2011 About the Author Anthony B. Robinson, a United Church of Christ minister, is a speaker, teacher and writer. His newest book is Stewardship for Vital Congregations, published by The Pilgrim Press. Read his weekly reflections on the current lectionary texts at www.anthonybrobinson.com/ by clicking on Weekly Reading. http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=O1DUlVplu2Gs0DJxAoSdNA.. http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=OeBXqYBJBAFQAk-pV2_8ow.. http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=L4FPT9Lc9GAKb-vyFGhMOw.. The Daily Devotional is now on Facebook. Become a fan! http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=y7yRZSolvHedglKfZRXstw.. Sign up to receive Daily Devotionals http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=kzWA_5ofNDb3y67UB-esVA.. More items written by the UCC Writer’s Group http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=VQUKZsbY3Tv-VNkBzxUuLw.. http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=Ts-wvsCnCdGMhj5Y0T12Eg.. Facebook Fan Page http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=MlV4innlqHlzuJttV-aKvw.. Forward to a Friend http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=ZHjrH1baaEqXwcHbzFcqpQ.. Signup for the Daily Devotional http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=25mKS9Lucy2yZRdXQj9q3Q.. Writers Group http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=dU2KK4iAnm441LgdpGJnOw.. The Stillspeaking Daily Devotional is a free service and is supported by your gifts to Our Church’s Wider Mission. Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America,adapted. Used by permission. All rights reserved. http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=ZliYt8TzhFf3vgG5wd8DDw.. Unsubscribe or edit your settings http://act.ucc.org/site/CO?i=GFr-cgDLTNlV7vAKLsGILNz1ARzBfA_W&cid=1072www.anthonybrobinson.com/ by clicking on Weekly Reading. http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=O1DUlVplu2Gs0DJxAoSdNA.. http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=OeBXqYBJBAFQAk-pV2_8ow.. http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=L4FPT9Lc9GAKb-vyFGhMOw.. The Daily Devotional is now on Facebook. Become a fan! http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=y7yRZSolvHedglKfZRXstw.. Sign up to receive Daily Devotionals http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=kzWA_5ofNDb3y67UB-esVA.. More items written by the UCC Writer’s Group http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=VQUKZsbY3Tv-VNkBzxUuLw.. http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=Ts-wvsCnCdGMhj5Y0T12Eg.. Facebook Fan Page http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=MlV4innlqHlzuJttV-aKvw.. Forward to a Friend http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=ZHjrH1baaEqXwcHbzFcqpQ.. Signup for the Daily Devotional http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=25mKS9Lucy2yZRdXQj9q3Q.. Writers Group http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=dU2KK4iAnm441LgdpGJnOw.. The Stillspeaking Daily Devotional is a free service and is supported by your gifts to Our Church’s Wider Mission. Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America,adapted. Used by permission. All rights reserved. http://act.ucc.org/site/R?i=ZliYt8TzhFf3vgG5wd8DDw.. Unsubscribe or edit your settings http://act.ucc.org/site/CO?i=GFr-cgDLTNlV7vAKLsGILNz1ARzBfA_W&cid=1072
