The Friday Five (7.3.26)
A Few Things for My Friends
Hey! Happy Fourth of July!
Every week, I share five things to encourage and equip in life with God.
This week:
The Only Sabbath Psalm
Abiding in our Devices
Galahad and the Grail
Love People
Read Biographies!
Enjoy!
MK
⬇️ Check out my book on Spiritual Disciplines! ⬇️
Read the forward from Jen Wilkin | Grab a copy here | Here’s a Discussion Guide
1. The Only Sabbath Psalm
Last weekend, I preached through Psalm 92 and the practice of sabbath: what it means to set aside a day to worship God with all of life. A few years ago I preached on Sabbath as well, and it was fun to revisit the topic through the study the of the single Psalm labeled by Israel for use on the sabbath. I felt some thoughts confirmed from my previous study, and others challenged as I dug into it. I hope it serves you! Video is set to begin with the sermon around 18 minutes in.
2. Abiding in our Devices
Last week, I shared a roundtable discussion between three friends and myself around what it is to love God. One of my responses in the video about the greatest danger to Christian discipleship was clipped as a reel, and it comes from a chapter in my book on offering our attention to God. I believe how we handle technology is a primary concern of contemporary Christian discipleship, and that we often functionally abide in our devices rather than Christ when we trust our them to deliver us from the pains of daily life. Here’s the reel, and then a section from my book furthering the discussion:
Digital distraction is not only a constant pull on our attention, but it is the most agenda-driven and culturally pervasive factor we freely welcome into our modern lives. If your life feels dominated by work, your kids’ sports schedules, making lunches, cleaning house, sitting in class—what do you do when you need a break from the moment? Same thing you might do in church when the Word of God goes to work: you reach for a digital fix.
Just as the addict runs to the substances of nicotine, sugar, or alcohol to numb the sting of stress or pain (and then eventually just runs to the substance whenever because the habit has become entrenched in his daily rhythms), we all—each one of us—seek pleasure on demand from tiny screens and heart buttons. If we’re honest, we not only do this in hard moments from which we want escape but in any moment. Even the fun ones. Even the meaningful ones. Our attention is that disoriented.
Why? Because we give our attention to what we delight in. Our attention is the most precious commodity we have. Over time, abiding in tech is less about your freedom of choice and more about falling prey to an increasingly perfected trap. The true cost of these free platforms is the diminishing ability to enjoy life with God and bear His image in life with others.1
Read the rest.
3. Galahad and the Grail
I’m listening to a book right now that is unlike anything else I’ve read in a long time. It’s Malcom Guite’s work, Galahad and the Grail. Andy Bannister has written a review of Galahad, the first installment of a retelling of the Arthurian Tales.
Here’s a bit from Andy:
I’m also reminded of something that C. S. Lewis once said, namely that we should regularly read old books and old stories, because we need a counterpoint to our current moment, a window through which we can gaze upon another age—and in so doing, see our own more clearly. Given that we cannot see into the future, we can look to the past—because although our ancestors made mistakes, they made different mistakes to the ones we are currently engaged in.
But there is something deeper, too, namely that myths, legends, and fairy stories aren’t just for children; they’re not easy escapism, quite the opposite. The reason why the oldest stories have been passed down and retold for centuries, millennia even, is because they tell us truths that we are in danger of forgetting at our peril. Truths about ourselves, about the world, and about the deepest meanings that lie behind it.
Read the rest of Andy’s review here.
Buy a copy of Galahad and the Grail here to read or listen to (read by the author and given it’s entirely a ballad, it’s quite a treat for the ear!)
4. Love People
This week, the roundtable discussion is around loving others. Listen to four of my friends chat through the second part of our mission statement. This is a new format for us, and I really like it! There are so many gifted people on our team and I love the opportunity like this to hear from them.
5. Read Biographies
For years, I have loved reading biographies of saints who have responded to life as it was given, and who are worthy of imitation. This week, I got an email from Banner of Truth with a link to about 50 biographies they are highlighting - and you should take a look!
Also, if you wanted to start with a free resource, Desiring God has an entire series of “The Swans are Not Silent” mini-biographies available:
Read the lives of saints before us and be encouraged! These are all stories rich with wisdom to be gleaned about how to respond to life as it is given, and how to persevere in hope.
Thanks for Reading
If someone forwarded this to you, I write two kinds of emails: one on select Tuesdays about life with God and the other every Friday, where I share things I’ve found during the week. If you want to subscribe but can’t afford it, email me, and I’ll take care of it—no questions asked.
I pastor, teach, and lead at The Village Church, serving as an Elder and the Executive Director of Discipleship. I’m also working on a Ph.D. in Church History, studying Jonathan Edwards and character formation. I’ve written A Short Guide to Spiritual Disciplines: How to Become a Healthy Christian.
Thank you for reading and supporting my work as I seek to shepherd with compassion and wisdom, equipping people to embody God’s truth for all of life.
Talk soon,
Mason
Mason King, A Short Guide to Spiritual Disciplines: How to Become a Healthy Christian, 68-69.