By the time this is published, Lunar New Year celebrations would be over, and some of us who do participate in it will be in “recovery mode”, fresh from the hectic festivities of shuttling to and from our extended families’ homes. Some families are very strict about their traditions: the order in which you greet the elders, their honorifics (and there are numerous!), who should be in attendance at which evening meal during the 15 days, amongst many others.
Why this fixation on tradition? In part, the family is a vehicle through which identity is preserved. Our Christian brothers from the Orthodox tradition will go so far as to say that family is the “little church” through which the sacramental realities are passed on to the next generation. A clear example of this is the Seder Meal, celebrated at the Passover by Jewish families (including Messianic Jews), which includes participation from both parents and children. An excerpt of the liturgy is as follows, where the youngest child is assigned to ask questions.
Child: Why is this night different from all other nights?
Parent: Because we were once slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.
Child: On this night, why do we eat only unleavened bread?
Parent: Biblical tradition says that the people had to leave Egypt so quickly that they did not have time to let the bread rise. So they made dough without yeast.
While there are difficulties finding complete analogues in our Methodist tradition, it doesn’t stop us from establishing simple patterns of worship in our family life. Setting aside a short time for a simple song, reading the Bible together and prayer need not be a scholarly or clerical enterprise.
One such song that captures the spirit of family worship is Elevation Worship’s “The Blessing”, based on the Aaronic Blessing of Numbers 6:24–26. The songwriters have envisioned this song to be sung declaratively as an affirmation of biblical truth: that God will bless us, keep us, show favour towards us and grant us grace and peace for a thousand generations as His children. There is a prayerful appeal that we will become more sensitive to God’s presence that exists everywhere, including the Holy Spirit indwelling within us, and that we will understand God is for us no matter the time of day, location or personal scenario. If there is discomfort as to the song’s directionality (e.g. is it the worship leader blessing the congregation?), the songwriters have stated that the lyrics stem from the heart of Scripture and should be understood as God blessing us as we sing to one another.
Just as Lunar New Year traditions reinforce my identity as an ethnic Chinese, the disciplined patterns of worship, prayer and reflection as people living in the presence of God help reinforce my family’s identity as children of God. Indeed, as we establish worshipful identities, may God’s favour be upon us, as the song says, “for a thousand generations”.
The Blessing
The Lord bless you and keep you, make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you
The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace
Amen, amen, amen
May his favor be upon you and a thousand generations
And your family and your children, and their children, and their children
May his presence go before you and behind you and beside you all around you
And within you, He is with you, He is with you
In the morning, in the evening, in your coming and your going
In your weeping and rejoicing, He is for you, He is for you,
We are the hope on earth
CCLI Song # 7147007
Chris Brown | Cody Carnes | Kari Jobe | Steven Furtick
© 2020 Capitol CMG Paragon (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Kari Jobe Carnes Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Worship Together Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Writer’s Roof Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC)
Justin Chan is a Programme Executive at Methodist School of Music, Worship & Worship Department. As a reformed rock musician, he believes hymns and heavy metal can co-exist for the glory of God.