Weekly Practice 12/15/25
After doing this week’s practice, try to share your experience with a friend.
Scripture
Psalm 16 NLT
Keep me safe, O God,
for I have come to you for refuge.
I said to the Lord, “You are my Master!
Every good thing I have comes from you.”
The godly people in the land
are my true heroes!
I take pleasure in them!
Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods.
I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood
or even speak the names of their gods.
Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.
You guard all that is mine.
The land you have given me is a pleasant land.
What a wonderful inheritance!
I will bless the Lord who guides me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.
My body rests in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead
or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.
You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever.
Practice
Enjoy, With God
This week, simply do some of the things you enjoy. Climb a mountain. Watch the game. Listen to an audiobook. Play a board game. Hang out with your favorite people. Spend some time alone. Crochet a scarf, sing a song, walk around the block, ride a unicycle. Whatever floats your boat. And, invite God into it. Ask him to help you notice His presence with you as you enjoy the things you like. Jesus says our heavenly Father likes to give us good gifts. He wants us to enjoy things, even as we stay rooted in him. If you have trouble imagining God with you in whatever you enjoy, maybe that’s something you can talk to him about.
Christmas music extraordinaire
If you’re tired of the usual Yuletide fare, this album by composer Anne Dudley is just the ticket. It’s one of the few I keep in rotation past the holiday season.
O Antiphons
Poet Malcolm Guite has written seven sonnets based on the O Antiphons, a sequence of Advent prayers dating back to the sixth century. They are meant to be read beginning on December 17 and culminating on Christmas Eve. I’ll be sharing the poems, one per day, starting this Wednesday, but you can also check them out here.
