Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem

Oh LORD, Our God,
How Majestic,
How Wonderful,
How Excellent is Your Most Holy Name!
You Alone Are Worthy to be Praised and Worshiped,
for You Alone Are the Most High,
Ancient of Days,
Rock Of Ages,
The All-In-All,
Aleph~Tav,
Alpha and Omega!
It is a Joy to Praise You,
because You Are So Awesome in Your Glory,
Endlessly Creative,
Infinitely Just and Righteous,
Eternally Holy and Pure,
Yet Incredible Patient and Forgiving,
Slow to Anger, and Full of Love!

Father, we thank You for Insights from your Holy Word.
Although Israel is in Egypt,
he Knows it is not his home.
He makes Joseph PROMISE that he be buried in the Cave of Machpelah,
Next to Abraham and Sarah,
Isaac and Rebbecca,
and his own late wife Leah.
Now that very site, in Hebron, is endangered,
as well as the Tomb of Israel's Beloved Rachel in Bethlehem.
Although the spirits of these ancient saints are with YOU,
We pray for Your protection over these Holy Places from those who would profane them.
They are a silent witness to Your faithfulness to Your people.

For the Sake of Your Anointed,
and For The Sake of Your Name,
we pray for the Peace of Jerusalem,
For Israel,
According to Your Word,
and Your Promise.

Father, We eagerly await Messiah,
To Set Up His Kingdom,
And Make All Things Right.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem

As I mentioned, Today's Chapter has Three Stories. The Middle Story, about how Joseph copes with SEVEN YEARS of Famine, has gotten a lot of press recently, as a number of modern preachers have used it to compare the Modern Welfare State to Slavery. They also try to depict Joseph as a totalitarian dictator. (I'm sure you got the email that went around about that!) But we should not read modern socioeconomic ideas into ancient civilizations. Joseph was a servant of Pharaoh, not of The People, and was doing what seemed best for everyone in the emergency. The narrative does not place a value judgement on Joseph's actions by merely reporting them.

Once the money, livestock, and land were used up, the people became part of a system of serfdom or sharecropping. They had to give 20% of their produce back to the "government", so they were not getting something for nothing. Looking back at my years of being gainfully employed, I seem to remember being in an even higher tax bracket than 20%, and now am forced to pay more for Medicare each month than any health insurance program I have ever purchased. Not complaining...but how is that any different from what was going on in this story? And to look at me, you will instantly know that I'm not even starving!

This is why we must always be careful not to read in our own interpretation of Scripture based upon our own experience or world-view. It also shows us why CONTEXT is SO important when we look at Scripture.

Come and Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

May the strength of God pilot us, may the wisdom of God instruct us, may the hand of God protect us, may the word of God direct us. Be always ours this day and for evermore.
(St. Patrick)

God Bless America!

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

This Symbol Represents Christians in The Middle East, who desperately need our Prayers.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS