Pardon My Interruption: Craig's Thoughts About This And That
During Succot prayers, I noticed this father and son team. The son was praying in the more traditional way: prayer shawl in place, prayer book in front, and facing the Western Wall. The father, on the other hand, appeared to be phoning in his prayer.
Shouldn’t it have been the other way around?
Philippians 1:3-11 NIV
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
This short passage answers at least two questions:
1. Why does Paul pray with confidence and joy for the saints at Philippi?
Because “HE who began a good work in [them] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
In other words, when God starts something, he finishes it.
2. For what does Paul pray?
That [their] love may abound more and more in
A. knowledge, and
B. depth of insight.
So that [they] may:
1. be able to discern what is best, and
2. be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, and
3. be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-
To the glory and praise of God.
Paul’s prayer for the saints at Philippi has one goal in mind: the glory and praise to God.
Ephesians 6:19-20 NIV
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Notice that Paul mentions two concerns: fear of man and content of the message. I think both of these issues are heavy weights on the shoulders of most Christians; and one often proceeds from the other.
Most Christian groups that I have spoken with about these topics affirm that they are generally afraid to share the message of their faith because they are afraid that someone will ask them a question to which they don’t know the answer.
The truth is, no one knows the answer to every possible question, and it’s okay to say, “I don’t know, but I’ll try to find out.” Besides, if Paul had concerns about these two issues, and he wrote much of the New Testament, let’s be modest enough to say that it’s not dramatically weak to have the same concerns.
Action Point: Let’s commit to study God’s word so that we will have more to draw from when we are sharing the mystery of the gospel, and let’s also commit to pray for each other that God will give us the right words and a measure of courage. Deal?
. . . what happens to the prayers, like those in the above photo, that are placed in the seams of Western Wall. Just last week, I was asked this question, and only had a limited answer. I have seen a worker sweeping up the notes that had fallen out of the wall, but I wasn’t sure what happens to those that are removed.
Here’s the answer: Twice a year, before Passover and Rosh HaShana (Jewish New Year), the prayer notes are carefully removed and taken to the Mt. of Olives for burial. You can read the complete Arutz Sheva story here.
