Via Karis
Praying the Psalms - Psalm 40:1-11
Psalm 40
Thanksgiving for Deliverance and Prayer for Help
To the leader. Of David. A Psalm.
1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the desolate pit,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.
4 Happy are those who make
the Lord their trust,
who do not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after false gods.
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you.
Were I to proclaim and tell of them,
they would be more than can be counted.
6 Sacrifice and offering you do not desire,
but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.
7 Then I said, “Here I am;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me.
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”
9 I have told the glad news of deliverance
in the great congregation;
see, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O Lord.
10 I have not hidden your saving help within my heart,
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.
11 Do not, O Lord, withhold
your mercy from me;
let your steadfast love and your faithfulness
keep me safe forever.
Litany of Commitment
Via Karis Litany of Commitment
As a covenant community, brought by faith and by God’s grace
to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior,
and quickened by the power of the Holy Spirit,
We promise anew to make the parable
path of Jesus our way of life.
Assured that our sins have been washed away in baptism,
and knowing that we are new creations, reconciled to God in Christ,
We will remember we are beloved children of God.
Knowing the Word of God is living and active, and that all Scripture
is inspired by God and useful for training in righteousness,
so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient,
equipped for every good work,
We will pray a Psalm daily.
With glad and generous hearts, remembering Christ’s presence
with us in the breaking of the bread and sharing of the cup,
and Christ’s prayer that we may be one with him,
and one with each other,
We will break bread with one another weekly.
Considering how we may spur one another on toward love
and good deeds, not giving up meeting together,
but encouraging one another as we see the Day approaching,
We will worship weekly with the Body of Christ.
Remembering the seventh day, when God saw everything God
had made and called it very good, and upholding, as creatures
made in God’s image, our divine commission to care for all creation,
We will attend daily to the beauty of the world.
We, the members of First Baptist Church of Asheville,
with true hearts and in full assurance of faith,
holding fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
do commit ourselves from this day forward to learning
and practicing Via Karis as a way of grace
for our fellowship. Amen.
Via Karis
Via Karis (“Way of Grace”) is a guide for our church that combines essential teachings of the Christian faith with a “Rule of Life” composed of five spiritual practices. This way of grace offers our congregation practical ways to deepen our friendship with God and one another through worship, education, mission, and fellowship.