holy play outline

8/15/2019 Holy Play Outline

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Group Action Sheet One

Spring of Light Ministries, Holy Play Retreat, September 22 23, 2000, Doug Floyd,2


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Holy Play

Chesterton Story about the White Farm HouseUseless Tree

The Importance of Being Useless

Talk about Play. Thats right play! Laughter, playing games, rollingdown a hill, capturing the flag, hide and seek, kick the can, sledding,swimming, cannonballs and swan dives, birthday parties and clowns,music and dancing, not to mention laughing till your sides hurt. PLAY!

God loves to party!

I. Play is expressed in our daily lives.Play is Extravagance Woman with Very Expensive Perfume (Matt26/John 12)Play is Adventure digging our way to China, fighting off the pirates,soaring into outer space; Transforming the world around usPlay is continuous celebration. A party!Play is an insatiable curiosityPlay is a continual experimentExperimental musician John Cage

A purposeful purposelessness

And purposeless play.This play, however, is anAffirmation of life.Not an attempt to bring order out of chaos,But simply a way of waking up

The very life we are living.

II. Play is an attitude and an act of worship.

Martine Marias-Bousquet says that Play is a way approaching lifewhich can be applied to everything but not exclusively attached toanything in particular. In other words, it is not limited to a certain setof activities but can cross all different aspects of living.

Ive defined play as an attitude and act of worship--a wondrouscelebration of life it is also a childlike wonder-filled attitude.



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So play is both an attitude and an activity which that can becharacterized as a joyful, celebration of God and the world around us.

Freedom from, freedom to Michelangelo and sculpting. The bestof artists never make a creation that is not already hid in the stone,in marble fixed, and yet the work is done by hand, which followsmind and meditation.

Play is complete in itself. Play is not a vehicle to get something else.

III. Play changes us and changes the worldaround us.Some by-products Playful activity may create a playful attitude.

A sense of wonder - G.K. ChestertonA sense of wholeness We forget ourselves and at the sametime become more connect to our selves. Enter the zone

A sense of community Retreats, playing together, footballgames

A sense of holiness C.S. Lewis reading George MacDonald.Visiting the zoo.

A sense of renewal Sacramental living.

If we would but play, we might be surprised by the Joy of God

Himself. C.S. Lewis

IV. Play is rooted in the nature of a loving God.A. Play may find its origin in the Trinity.

The Heavenly Dance The ongoing flow of love between the Father,the Son, and the Holy Spirit

Cornelius a' Lapide writes, "The Son is called child because of hisproceeding everlastingly from the Father, because in the dewyfreshness and spring-time beauty of His eternal youth he eternally

enacts a game before the Father" (Miller 108).Prov 8:3030 Then I was beside Him, {as} a master workman; and I was daily{His} delight, rejoicing always before Him,(NAU)

The image is from children, which, when playing in the sight of theirnurses, are their delight.



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Jesus playing before the Father. and the truth revealed is, `I was byHim as the closest and the supreme object of the Father's delight. '

B. Creation may be a result of the play of God.Does it exist for some utilitarian purpose? Is creating one way Heplays?

Play is rooted and grounded in the nature of God. He is a God atPlay. He invites us to play with Him. As we rest in His grace andcelebrate His life, we are transformed through His eternal love. TheGod of play has created us to come and join in His eternal play.

Thomas Merton captures this notion as he describes the eternal dance.He says:

What is serious to men is often very trivial in the sight ofGod. What in God might appear to us as "play" is perhaps whatHe Himself takes most seriously. At any rate, the Lord plays and

diverts Himself in the garden of His creation, and if we could letgo of our own obsession with what we think is the meaning of itall, we might be able to hear His voice call and follow Him in Hismysterious, cosmic dance.

C. Scripture reveals God as laughing, spinning, and rejoicing.

Zeph 3:17

17 "The LORD your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He willexult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice overyou with shouts of joy.Exult - suws (soos); or siys (sece);a primitive root; to be bright, i.e. cheerful: KJV - be glad, X greatly, joy,make mirth, rejoice.

Joy - simchah (sim-khaw'); from OT:8056; blithesomeness or glee,(religious or festival):KJV - X exceeding (-ly), gladness, joy (-fulness), mirth, pleasure, rejoice(-ing).

Rejoice - giyl (gheel); or (by permutation) guwl (gool); a primitiveroot; properly, to spin round (under the influence of any violentemotion), i.e. usually rejoice, or (as cringing) fear:KJV - be glad, joy, be joyful, rejoice.



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Joy - rinnah (rin-naw'); from OT:7442; properly, a creaking (or shrillsound), i.e. shout (of joy or grief): KJV - cry, gladness, joy,proclamation, rejoicing, shouting, sing (-ing), triumph.

Rejoice - samach (saw-makh'); a primitive root; probably tobrighten up, i.e. (figuratively) be (causatively, make) blithe orgleesome:KJV-- cheer up, be (make) glad, (have, make) joy (-ful), be (make)merry, (cause to, make to) rejoice, X very.

Ps 96:1111 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the searoar, and all it contains; (NAU)

Ps 97:11 The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many islands beglad. (NAU)Ps 97:1212 Be glad in the LORD, you righteous ones, and give thanks to Hisholy name. (NAU)Ps 105:33 Glory in His holy name; let the heart of those who seek the LORDbe glad. (NAU)

Ps 118:2424 This is the day which the LORD has made; let us rejoice and beglad in it. (NAU)Prov 15:3030 Bright eyes gladden the heart; good news puts fat on the bones.(NAU)Eccl 5:1919 Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches andwealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receivehis reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. (NAU)

Eccl 8:1515 So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for a manunder the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry, and this willstand by him in his toils {throughout} the days of his life which Godhas given him under the sun. (NAU)

Jer 31:13



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13 "Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance, and the young men andthe old, together, for I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfortthem and give them joy for their sorrow. (NAU)Zech 2:1010 "Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I amcoming and I will dwell in your midst," declares the LORD. (NAU)

Rejoice - suws (soos); or siys (sece); a primitive root; to be bright,i.e. cheerful:KJV-- be glad, X greatly, joy, make mirth, rejoice.Ps 35:99 And my soul shall rejoice in the LORD; it shall exult in Hissalvation. (NAU)

Ps 40:16

16 Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; let those who loveyour salvation say continually, "The LORD be magnified!" (NAU)

Eternal PerspectiveIsa 65:1818 "But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, Icreate Jerusalem {for} rejoicing and her people {for} gladness. (NAU)

Rejoicing, Dancing, Laughing, Celebrating, Sabbath Rest, Sabbath Year,

Year of Jubilee Rejoicing and Sabbath-keeping is still found in NewTest. Paul again and again admonishes us to rejoice. And even pointsout the joy is a sign of the kingdom.

D. God loves to party!

Deuteronomy 12:22-29 (tithe for party)

Festivals or PartiesNeh 8:9-129 Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest {and}scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people,"This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For allthe people were weeping when they heard the words of the law.10 Then he said to them, "Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, andsend portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy toour Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."



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11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for the dayis holy; do not be grieved."12 All the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and tocelebrate a great festival, because they understood the words whichhad been made known to them.(NAU)

New Testaments Festivals.Jesus first miracle takes place at a wedding feast. (John 2)Holy Spirit comes during the midst of a great party. Pentecost.A harvest festivals. It was a festival of good cheer, a day of joy. Free-will offerings were to be made to the Lord , and it was tobe marked by a liberal spirit toward the Levite, the stranger, andorphans and widows . It was day the Holy Spirit cameupon the church and caused such a stir, the world thought the

believers were drunk.

Time for Music



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Play is for ChildrenI. The best way to learn about play is to becomea child.

Luke 18:15-1715 People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them.When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus calledthe children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and donot hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Itell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God likea little child will never enter it."NIV

Mark 10:13-16

13 People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them,but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he wasindignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and donot hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Itell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God likea little child will never enter it." 16 And he took the children in hisarms, put his hands on them and blessed them.NIV

II. What can we learn from little children?

Great scientists Johann Kepler, Albert Einstein,Louis Pastuer compared the process of discoveryto the same excitement of a child playing.

Storytelling. Action Sheet Two.

A. One of lifes most important questions: Why?

B. What other things can we learn from little children?



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List Characteristics of Children that Christ might want us to emulate.Group Discussion

III. Childhood conversion (Becoming a childagain).

Matt 18:3-5"Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become likechildren, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever thenhumbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of

heaven. And whoever receives one such child in My name receivesMeNASU

NT:4762strepho (stref'-o); strengthened from the base of NT:5157; to twist, i.e.turn quite around or reverse (literally or figuratively):

A. Childlike not childish.

Contrast this with 1 Cor 13:1111 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, Ireasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behindme.NIV

Tonight were going to turn around. Were going to be converted tolittle children.

Did the story time bring back any childhood memories. Talk aboutmemories and how our memories reveal who we are today. Everyone inthis room has shared two things: a time of innocence in their lives anda time when that innocence disappeared. For some it was dramatic andpainful for others slow and gradual.



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We are going to do a couple exercises involving memory. I want you tothink about some of your fond memories of growing up. Talk aboutparade in New Jersey.

Group Action Sheet Three

B. Returning to innocence by being born again.

Somewhere talk about God as child. See Orthodoxy Page 60 It may bethat (God) has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned andgrown old, and our Father us younger than we. G.K. Chesterton

Read John 3.Paul - 2 Cor 5:1717 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; theold has gone, the new has come!NIV

1 Peter 1:23-2423 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, butof imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.NIV

Jesus describes the process of conversion like the process of becominga child again. In Christ, the innocence and vitality of youth can berestored.

C. The cross and the hope of resurrection.

Central facet to this whole teaching.

Two interesting tensions in Jesus teaching.

1. You must be born again.2. You must take up your cross.

One is about rebirth, another is about death.

This tension shows up all through the NT. Paul speaks of being a newcreation in Christ, at the same time he says, I die daily.



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The cross is the path of love. John 15:12

Return to the idea of the Trinity. The chief characteristic of the Trinity isthe flow of love between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Hypostasis - Being in Communion.

Man is created in Gods image. We were created to be in communion.

Thus Mark 12:29-3129 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: `Hear, O Israel,the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with allyour heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with allyour strength.' 31 The second is this: `Love your neighbor as yourself.'

There is no commandment greater than these."NIV

As I yield to the cross in the present, I am filled fresh with the unendinglove of God.

Rom 5:1-85:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we havepeace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we

have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. Andwe rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we alsorejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering producesperseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Andhope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love intoour hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christdied for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man,though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But Goddemonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,Christ died for us.NIV

Eph 3:14-19



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14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his wholefamily in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out ofhis glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spiritin your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts throughfaith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 mayhave power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and longand high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love thatsurpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all thefullness of God.NIV

Gal 2:20-2120 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ livesin me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, wholoved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of

God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ diedfor nothing!"NIV

Pray for each person to return tosecond childhood



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Psalm 19

Playing and PrayingThe world will never starve for want of wonders; but

only for want of wonder. - G. K. Chesterton

Psalm 19 exercise.

Mark 12:29-31

29 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: `Hear, O Israel,the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with allyour heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all

your strength.' 31 The second is this: `Love your neighbor as yourself.'There is no commandment greater than these."NIV

Well start by looking at concrete ways we learn Love the Lord yourGod with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mindand with all your strength.

Our whole being.

Ps 103:1Praise the LORD, O my soul;all my inmost being, praise his holy name.NIV

Ps 9:1I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;I will tell of all your wonders.NIV

Ps 35:9Then my soul will rejoice in the LORDand delight in his salvation.NIV

Literally, my bones.



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I. The world of wonder proclaims Gods glory.

Discuss Psalm 19. Ask people to read their poems.

Is it possible that the God we worship likes to play?We do not have to go very far to catch echoes of that game,and of that dancing. When we are alone on a starlit night;when by chance we see migrating birds in autumndescending on a grove of junipers to rest and eat; when wesee children in a moment when they are really children;when we know love in our own hearts; or when, like the

Japanese poet Basho we hear an old frog land in a quietpond with a solitary splash--at such times the awakening, theturning inside out of all values, the "newness," the emptinessand the purity of vision that makes themselves evident,provide a glimpse of the cosmic dance.

For the world and time are the dance of the Lord inemptiness. The silence of the spheres is the music of awedding feast. The more we persist in misunderstanding thephenomena of life, the more we analyze them out intostrange finalities and complex purpose of our own, the morewe involves ourselves in sadness, absurdity and despair. Butit does not matter how much, because no despair of ours can

alter the reality of things, or stain the joy of the cosmicdance which is always there. Indeed, we are in the midst ofit, and it is in the midst of us, for it beats in our very blood,whether we want it or not.

Yet the fact remains that we are invited to forgetourselves on purpose, cast our awful solemnity to the windsand join in the dance. (296-297)

God's whole nature is rooted in wonder, love, and unending life.

He is the "Lord of the Dance." The way of play permeates night andday. All nature joins in a dance. In the cross, we meet a God whobecomes the fool that we might join him in eternal play.

Wonder Leading to Adoration - An attitude of play responds in wonderto all of creation. Life is magical. Just as the young child constantlyasks "Why?," we adapt this same puzzling response to all of life.



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Instead of always responding to questions with empirically basedanswers, we open the door for wonder.

Take a HikeSmell the Freshly Cut Lawn

Take the Long Way HomeNotice the Little Insignificant ThingsDont Force WorshipPause and Experience the World around YouC.S. Lewis notes for obstacles to adoration Inattention; the WrongKind of Attention (analysis over simple experience); Look atProblem Solving Sheet

We are changed by what we behold. What are we beholding? Even inhis darkest hour. Jesus beheld the joy before him. Behold the glory

around us.

Matt 6:22-2322 "The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear,your whole body will be full of light.23 "But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!(NAU)

Titus 1:1515 To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiledand unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and theirconscience are defiled.(NAU)

Spirit of Worship/Wonder directed to God in all things.2 Cor 3:1818 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory ofthe Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory toglory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.(NAU)

Col 3:1717 Whatever you do in word or deed, {do} all in the name of theLord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.(NAU)



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If I walk in worship/wonder to God. I will behold His glory in allthings. As I behold His glory and worship Him, I will be changed intoglory. As I am changed I will change my surroundings.

II. My whole being will praise the Lord.Imagination

Lets go back to Psalm 19 for a minute. Talk about the transition inPsalm 19:7-14

Consecrating our imagination. The Word of God provides a foundationfor my intuitive side.

Phil 4:4-94 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let yourgentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxiousabout anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, withthanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God,which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and yourminds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is

right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-ifanything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.NIV

Group Action Sheet Four

Talk about the last activity.

Now talk about use our whole being to worship God.

How do we worship with our mind? Read a poem.How do we worship with our emotions?How do we worship with our body?2 Sam 6:14-16



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14 David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORDwith all his might, 15 while he and the entire house of Israelbrought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound oftrumpets.16 As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David,

Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And whenshe saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, shedespised him in her heart.NIV

Rhythm exercise. Body

III. Learning worship from the Hebrews

A. It required conscious preparation on the part of the worshipper.B. It encouraged private and family worship as a complement to publicworship.C. It demanded the response of the whole person to God as Creatorand Redeemer.D. It encouraged congregational worship that was active andparticipatory.E. It focused on the redemptive acts of God in human history (such asthe Exodus).

F. It employed symbolism to help instruct and to enhance aesthetically.G. It followed a liturgical calendar focusing on ritual reenactment (suchas Passover).H. It assumed that a lifestyle of obedience in service to God completedthe integrity of worship.

Thus worship involved the whole person (body, mind, emotions) andthe whole life (sacred and profane).

IV. Watching the Celtic Christians worship.Actual prayers from a day in the life of Celtic believers:

Kindling the Fire:I will kindle my fire this morning in the presence of the holy

angels of heaven.God Thou kindle in my heart within



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A flame of love to my neighbor,To my foe, to my friend, to my kindred all,To the brave, to the knave, to the thrall..

Face washing:The palmful of the of God of LifeThe palmful of the Christ of LoveThe palmful of the Spirit of PeaceTriune of grace.

Making bed:I make this bedIn the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,In the name of the night we were conceived,

In the name of the night we were born,In the name of the day we were baptized,In the name of each night, each day,Each angel that is in the heavens.

Milking CowBless O God my little cowBless O God my desire;Bless Thou my partnership

And the milking of my hands, O God.

Bless O God each teatBless O God each finger;Bless Though each drop

That goes into my pitcher, O God.

Walking Prayer:My walk this day with God,My walk this day with Christ,My walk this day with Spirit.Ho! Ho! Ho! The three-fold all-kindly.

My shielding this day from ill,My shielding this night from harmHo! Ho! Both my soul and my body,Be by Father, by Son, by Holy Spirit:



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By Father, by Son, by Holy Spirit.

Be the Father shielding me,Be the Son shielding me,Be the Spirit shielding me,As Three and as One:Ho! Ho! Ho! As Three and as One.



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Creative Worship

Learning to love God with our heart and soul and mind and strength.This is based upon a Trinitarian approach to God. We come to the

Father, through the Son, in the power of the Spirit. He leads us intoworship. He teaches us to live a life of worship. He may lead us tonew territory but will never lead us to contradict Scripture.

Four Stages of Creativity (applied to worship)

Total ImmersionWaiting

FlashResponse

General Immersion Read John 15

1. Study the Bible. The more we know the Bible and meet Him in theWord, the deeper He can lead us into worship.

2. Recapture Wonder at the CreationG. K. Chesterton The world will never starve for want of

wonders; but only for want of wonder.

3. Take Time for Recreation Relax Sabbath4. Celebration mini-celebrations with God sunrise service (get upearly one day when your off, service, go back to bed)5. Childlikeness try things, play games Drive into work and try tomake up songs about what you see. Sing them to God.6. Laugh Rejoice in the Lord always! As Rick Joyner says, Some of us

are too serious for God. Enjoy him. Its not a sin to have fun with God.Those who didnt like their childhood; have one now with God.7. Read/Study/Think Active versus passive mind.8. Observe and write down what you see.9. Listen to the world around you.10. Listen to people. Really listen.11. Take risks. Dream big.



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4. Spend some time alone resting in the Lord.

FlashSometimes when we least expect the Holy Spirit shows up andexplodes our spirit with life, with revelation. God made us this way.Spirit surprises us.

Revelation comes and it may or may not look like anything youexpected. The epiphany happens and the world stands still.

He gives you new metaphors, a new dance.

He expands your understanding, and helps you to worship Him at awhole new level of revelation.

The Bible begins to blaze with light and fire.

ResponseThere may be specific actions the Lord shows you. If you obey Hisprompting, you make room for His Spirit to lead you into new places.

Directions on a highway. Highway of Holiness may not be asuperhighway. You must follow the signs. Directional signs. Stop signs.

Yield signs. Slow down. Business route into the heart of the city

(worship can lead me right into the middle of the action).

He made lead you to Artwork painting, sculpting, photography, t-shirts

He may stir you to write poems, novels, essays

He may invite you to dance formal or spontaneous

He may teach you drama The Lord has often given me dramas thathelp activate deep worship.

He may call you to service Even for just one other person.

When skills and challenge match, then flow is most likely to emerge.At that instant, attention is fully focused on the task at hand. One signof this complete absorption is that time seems to pass much more



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quickly or much more slowly. People are so attuned to what theyredoing, theyre oblivious to any distractions. The Creative Spirit

Hand out Exercises for Creative Worship Worksheet.



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Group Action Sheet 6

Playing with OthersWe are all invited by God to discover the way of play. In Celebration

of the Disciplines Richard Foster says, "Let's with reckless abandonrelish the fantasy games of children. Let's see visions and dreamdreams. Let's play, sing, laugh" (198-199).

Mark 12:29-3129 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: `Hear, O Israel,the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with allyour heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with allyour strength.' 31 The second is this: `Love your neighbor as yourself.'

There is no commandment greater than these."

NIV

Gal 2:20-2120 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ livesin me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, wholoved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace ofGod, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ diedfor nothing!"NIV

I. We are created in the image of God.

Trinity Hypostasis Being in Communion

Mark 12:31John 15:1-12 The Divine Flow of Love

II. True play is based on self-giving love.

Person versus IndividualTrue play versus false play

False Play - False play "uses" people, games, things, events, etc tofulfill self. Unfortunately, this striving is never satisfied.



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For example, a person may spend their life working to buy things whichgive them pleasurea boat, a car, a house, etc.and in the process ofstriving fail to truly celebrate life and relationships. This form of playcan be destructive to individuals and their relationships. Much play inAmerican is false. Celebrating nothing and cynically mocking almosteverything.

True play is complete. It is at rest. Therefore, I am free.

You cannot enforce play. Love between a man and a women freedom.Freedom. Playing with God freedom.

Freedom from, freedom to Michelangelo and sculpting. The best ofartists never make a creation that is not already hid in the stone, in

marble fixed, and yet the work is done by hand, which follows mindand meditation.


III. True play is free to enter into community.

A.HomeB.Church

C.WorkA.Outreach

Jurgen Moltmann How can we play when the world is filled with crisis?Sudan, Kosovo, Persecution in China, Poverty, Immorality, not tomention prophecies of the end, Y2K, Judgment.How can we play when the world is in such trouble?How can the angels cry Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, thewhole earth is filled with His Glory?

Our play reminds us of God glory. Our play reminds us that all thingsare being restored.Zech 8:3-53 "Thus says the LORD, "I will return to Zion and will dwell in themidst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, andthe mountain of the LORD of hosts {will be called} the Holy Mountain.'



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4 "Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Old men and old women will againsit in the streets of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his handbecause of age.5 "And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girlsplaying in its streets.'(NAU)


IV. Going to play and playing as I go.

A.Playgrounds and Playtimes Space and Time. ChurchBuildings. Prayer Rooms. The idea of Sabbath. Touching allthins with hope of Sabbath rest

The writer of Hebrews lifts the Sabbath from a weekly observance to awhole way of life. He says, "There remains, then a Sabbath rest for thepeople of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from hisown work." (Hebrews 4:9-10) The Sabbath not only refers to a physicalday but a spiritual concept which finds its fulfillment in Christ.

Therefore, we are encouraged to enter into God's rest. What is God's

rest? Couldn't His rest be His play.

Leisure and rest are essential elements of play. There are times whenwe cease from the daily activities of work and play games or simply donothing--just relax. We allow God's hand to re-create us. This is theSabbath. It is a time of praying and playing. We rediscover theenchantment in life.

Without these times of leisure, we begin to lose a sense ofgenuine play. Our life becomes activity centered and driven. In life,

we need a rhythm of activity and non-activity. These rhythms mayoperate in daily, weekly, monthly, and possibly even yearly cycles.Each day we set aside time to rest in the Lord. To pray and play beforethe Lord. Each week we set aside a day. Each month a weekend. Andeach year one to two weeks. These seasons of grace allow us toreceive restoration in some areas of our life and reacquaint us with thewonder and mystery of God's love. This love is the basis for all our



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interactions with other humans. As Merton says, "Go into the desertnot to escape other men but in order to find them in God" (Seeds ofContemplation 53).

Recreation also embodies a sense of playing games. As childrenplay "hide and seek" and are delighted when they discover theirfriends' hiding places; God plays "hide and seek" with us. He moves inand out of the shadows. As we learn to play and enjoy him in thedarkness and the light, we are often surprised and delighted by hisunexpected appearing. We also become open to discovering him indifferent places. Jesus said he liked to hide in the poor, weak, andneedy (Matthew 25:34-36). With a spirit of discovery, we grow open tofinding, meeting, and loving him in many different places.

B.Parties CelebrationActs 2 Birth of Church during a party. Tony Campolo

My family. Birthdays. Holidays.

God invites us to dance with him, to laugh with him, to delight in him,

to worship him. A playful spirit can celebrate alone him or with others.

The celebration is often focused on the common, the ordinary. We

celebrate the raising of the sun. We celebrate the food we eat with

prayers of thanksgiving. A celebratory spirit does not take the ordinary

for granted but recognizes God's hand even in simplicity and delightsin the common blessings of daily life. The celebration may be a

solitary praise to our Creator, or it may become a community gathering

of laughter and rejoicing in God's goodness.

Throw a party.

Throw another party.

Go to a Parade. Have your own parade. Actor family puts on a family

play.

Take God on a Date. (Talent Show)



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C.Magic Words Blessing

If we learn to develop a spirit of wonder it will change the way weapproach the Lord as well as the way we approach other people.Angels and glory. Continuous praise of glory. Isa 6:33 And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is theLORD of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory."(NAU)

Hasidism. Sacred and Profane. Sacred and Secular. Holy and theOrdinary.Our blessings make room of the holy. Blessing food.

Those things that are open for God to reveal His glory and thosethat arent.

The Holy and the not-yet-holy.

Messianic Mission. The Turning of the World to God.God dwells where one lets Him in.Work of Grace through man as mediator. Adam. Awaken glory ofGod in all things.Asceticism/Self Denial is not holiness. But a preparation forholiness. Holiness is making room for the glory of God to berevealed in all things.

We are changed by what we behold. What are we beholding. Even in

his darkest hour. Jesus beheld the joy before him. Behold the gloryaround us.

Matt 6:22-2322 "The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear,your whole body will be full of light.23 "But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!(NAU)

Titus 1:1515 To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiledand unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and theirconscience are defiled.(NAU)

Spirit of Worship/Wonder directed to God in all things.



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2 Cor 3:1818 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the gloryof the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from gloryto glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.(NAU)

Col 3:1717 Whatever you do in word or deed, {do} all in the name of theLord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.(NAU)

If I walk in worship/wonder to God. I will behold His glory in allthings. As I behold His glory and worship Him, I will be changed intoglory. As I am changed I will change my surroundings.

D.Share with Others Live generously.Luke 6:37-3838 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down,

shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. Forwith the measure you use, it will be measured to you."NIV

Give your gifts. Give praise to others. Give forgiveness. Give a listening

hear. Give time. Give our hearts. Give our homes (hospitality). GiveCash.

E. Living Happily Ever After Faithfulness.Commitment. The concept of covenant. A special blessing for thosewho keep covenants. Talk about ministry. And relationships. Not justmarriage. Friendships.

Josh 1:4-55 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life.

As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you norforsake you.NIVPs 12:1Help, LORD, for the godly are no more;the faithful have vanished from among men.



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NIV

Daniel

Group Action Sheet Nine

holy play outline

Documents