My Gear

This past week the InternetMonk, Michael Spencer, has been posting photos of his "gear" -- worship aids he uses even as a Southern Baptist to point him to Jesus. Here's a link to one of his three posts on GEAR. I haven't had a chance to wade through the dozens of comments his posts usually generate, but I immediately knew that I, too, wanted to post my own "gear."

So above in the back is an Old Master painting (forgotten who now and didn't write it down and tried to locate it -- too blear-eyed tonight to keep looking) that I hang on the wall behind my prayer table at the side of my bed. Also on the wall are two icons, one of Christ descending to hell, grasping Adam and Eve by the hand and bringing them to heaven after His death yet before His resurrection. My favorite part is the crushed gates of hell beneath Christ's feet along with the remains of death (bones), showing that Christ has triumphed over sin and death forever! The other icon is called The Tree of Life and shows Christ and his Apostles in a large tree. I also have a special candle given to my by Sheri that I use during prayer, and two crosses, one pewter that I bought at USD just before I spoke at Lake Murray's retreat a few years ago, and the gold one that J gave me for Christmas.

The beads are not a rosary but Anglican prayer beads that I use to pray Scripture and also pray for people: the first set of seven beads are for my immediate family and our parents; the second seven for extended family, the third seven for friends, and the fourth seven for those who need healing. The beads somehow help me to focus my prayers and not lose track. I love the symbolism of the beads: four groups of seven beads as seven is the perfect number and four represent the number of Gospels in the New Testament. The seven larger beads also represent the perfect number seven. All together there are 33 beads, one for each year of Christ's life on earth. I also have a small stack of books: Baillie's Diary of Private Prayer, The Daily Book of Common Prayer, and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. I didn't photograph my ESV Bible or my Divine Hours books, but those are also used on a daily basis as well.

So these things constitute MY GEAR. I love using them as worship aids because they make me feel closer to Christ and remind me of how I should pray to Him in reverence and love. They also remind me to pray when I see them. I find them extremely helpful, and I'd love to hear about any "gear" you may use in worship as well.