Prodded by a couple of different sources, I’ve decided to create a Sunday-only series on the “Psalms of Ascent”.  This refers to Psalms 120-134, which were sung or recited by Jews while journeying to the Temple for annual festivals.  There are 15 of them, but there will be more than 15 posts as I want to limit each one to only one idea.

In a modern context, I see these Psalms as a call to prepare for worship, to rejoice in the Sabbath, and to answer a call to serve God’s church on earth.  Regular church attendance has sometimes been a struggle for me and my family, and there are many out there who have been hurt by the organized church and therefore Sundays can be a painful reminder.  This pain was real even to King David, who in Psalm 133:1 wrote: “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” while his own children warred among themselves.  God calls us to gather anyway.

But don’t worry, I’m not abandoning Monday-Saturday.  The Beatitudes series will continue, along with some other ideas.  However, I found out that many things I’ve had on my list to write about are in this series of Psalms.

I pray that this series will encourage myself and others to approach Sunday worship not as a box to check, but as a joyful sacrifice to the God who loves us and as a way to connect with His family.