As Human As You or Me

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Thursday, July 2, 2015

As Human As You or Me

What if the New Testament were written more like the books of poetry from the Hebrew Scriptures? Certainly a change in perspective, that’s for sure. As I mentioned yesterday, I’ll be using a book named Praying the New Testament as Psalms all this month. (Desmond O’Donnell and Maureen Mohen wrote the book.)

For the next few days, I will be looking at several psalm portions written about differing aspects of our Lord Jesus. Today, I wanted to consider Jesus as Human. Fully human.

Yes, I know these points of doctrine and characteristics of Jesus in an intellectual way. True. But expressed in the form of a psalm? Powerful.

“Knowing that Jesus can sympathize with my weaknesses/and that mercy and grace are there for the asking;” [1] As I read this portion, I could not help but think of the person of Jesus—the very real, very physical Person. (The Second Person of the Trinity, remember.)

Mercy! Grace! I need them both so much. And, I am ever so grateful that our Lord Jesus is accessible, any time. Any place. Wow.

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You. That’s all I can say.

@chaplaineliza

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.

Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.   @chaplaineliza And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er .

[1] Praying the New Testament as Psalms, Desmond O’Donnell, OMI, and Maureen Mohen, RSM, (United States of America: ACTA Publications, 2002.), 24.

Using Scripture in Prayer—the Light to My Path

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – January 10, 2015

Using Scripture in Prayer—the Light to My Path

Scripture—one of my favorite helps for praying. And, one of the ways that is most easily accessible to me, too! Now, that is for me, and not for everyone. (See my related post from Friday, found here: Ways to Pray—the Individual Way http://wp.me/p43g3i-6o)

Because of my personality, temperament, and way of dealing with the world and with my inner self, I find that scripture is an easily-used tool for prayer. One of my favorite verses from the Bible is found in Psalm 119, that wonderful acrostic Psalm that uses God’s Word as a theme and centerpiece in its composition and in each verse. Psalm 119:105 reads “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” So true. God’s Word not only helps me know how to pray and why I am to pray, but it also assists me in the wording and vocabulary of prayer.

A steady diet of Scripture and regular bible reading and study helps me keep on an even keel, and assists me to stay anchored in God’s will and ways. Otherwise, who knows where I would end up? Probably bobbing somewhere in the ocean of my own self-indulgent thoughts and feelings.

Is there someone out there who has a question about wordless prayer? As the Apostle Paul mentioned in Romans 8, what about those prayers that are so deep that we can’t even find any words for them? Well, yes. So true. The letter to the Roman believers lets us know that the Holy Spirit helps us to pray, and even helps us when we don’t have any words to express our deepest longings, those deepest desires and groans that come out of the depths of our souls.

No matter what the situation, God is so pleased when we read the Bible. What a wonderful way for me to get more familiar with God’s will and ways.

Through reading God’s Word, I can more readily know and understand what pleases God, and how to experience and communicate God’s love.

Let’s pray. Dear Lord, gracious God, thank You for the Bible. Help me—help us to read it regularly, so that we can understand You and Your character. Thank You for this excellent opportunity to know You in spirit and in truth. Thank You for hearing us when we pray. Amen.

@chaplaineliza

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.

Why not visit my sister blog, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.