Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Almighty and Eternal Father,
Strong To Save, Slow To Anger and Infinitely Merciful and Just,
Holy and Sanctified is Your Most Hallowed and Wonderful Name.
 How Marvelous Are Your Works,
That the Very Heavens
Declare Your Glory,
Without Embarrassment,
they Just Burst Forth in Sumptuous, Overwhelming Praise!
The Stars, The Rocks, The Waterfalls,
Even The Lowly Grasses of The Field Burst Forth into Riotous Colors,
In Worship of Their Awesome Creator!
There is No Shadow of turning With You.
Your Precepts and Promises Are Everlasting.
You Say It is So, and It Is So.
You Alone Are Worthy,
You Alone Are LORD,
You Alone Are The One True God.

Let all that has been Concealed
Be Revealed.

Father, We Pray For The Peace Of Jerusalem,
According To Your Will and Promise.
We Pray That You Will Forgive The Sins
of Our Own Nation,
and Lead us all to Godly Repentance.
Create in Us Clean Hearts, Oh LORD,
and Renew a Right Spirit Within Us.

This we Pray Together,
As We Await Your Messiah,
Blessed Be He,
To Set Up His Kingdom,
And Make All Things Right.

God Bless America.

ML/LTOS

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

The Names and Titles of God (The Beloved)

Matthew12:8

18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

King James Version

________________________

In the fourth Star Trek movie (The Journey Home), Kirk, McCoy, and Spock time-travel back to the mid-twentieth century to save the whales. This unlikely plot device brings about some hilarious lines as the crew cope with Sixties Subculture in San Francisco.

At one point they dress in scrubs to infiltrate a hospital. (This is a plot device that has been used by many comedians, including The Marx Brothers, the Three Stooges, and Woody Allen).

McCoy, however, is a real doctor, from the 23rd Century, and is appalled by Twentieth Century Medicine. As McCoy makes his escape, he frantically dispenses his own medications to the ailing patients, eliminating their need for dialysis, surgery, or other "barbaric" treatments, all the while muttering about the sorry state of medicine in this past time.

In Virginia Beach, a long time ago, I wanted my friend Lil to take my picture of me on my bike in a bathing suit. I hopped onto the bike, and realized with horror that the pipes had not yet cooled down from our ride to her home from our hotel. I got a nasty burn on my left calf the size of a half-dollar. Lil was a nurse, so she treated the burn, and everything seemed OK. But, on our journey home back to Boston, as were were entering Pennsylvania, I could see that the burn had become infected. Mike insisted we go to the nearest ER, which happened to be in Gettysburg.

No Way was I going to have my infected leg treated in GETTYSBURG! I've watched the Ken Burns Series. I know what they do with infected legs! I suggested we go to York instead, where the Harleys are made. Surely the ER would recognize a motorcycle injury. As soon as I walked in the door, the Triage Nurse yelled "PIPE BURN!" and they took me right away. I was fixed up and was able to ride the remaining 400 miles to Boston.

I'm sure that Gettysburg ER would not have cut my leg off, but I just couldn't help myself. The whole town is dedicated to The Civil War, and the Reenactors are VERY authentic.

Just as McCoy bemoaned the state of Twentieth Century Medicine, I bemoaned the state of NINETEENTH Century Medicine. Right now, I am looking back at the Twentieth Century with fondness, as I firmly believe the state of Medicine in our own century has deteriorated. But that's a whole other rant.

I was looking at my remaining lists of Names and Titles of God, and there are still enough for another three months of daily study. I'm so glad that one of you suggested this topic. I'm really being edified by it and I hope you are too.

Today we have another Title that refers back to the Old Testament, namely the Book of Isaiah. In fact, it is from the breathtaking prophetic chapters in Isaiah called The Servant Songs. Although critical scholars tried to give these songs a later date (because they were just TOO accurate!), the Dead Sea Scrolls show them to be original to Isaiah. Jesus quoted these verses as Isaiah as well and I would NOT presume to "correct" HIS dating of the verses!

Like many of the Names and Titles we have looked at, this one provides more depth of meaning if we look at it in context.

This quote occurs as Matthew is describing the Healing Ministry of Jesus. Imagine the state of Medical Care in the FIRST Century. It makes the Nineteenth look positively enlightened. The Blind, Deaf, and paralyzed had to beg on the streets to survive, people clustered around healing waters to perhaps get a little surcease from their pain, and people with skin diseases were ostracized. There were Physicians (Luke was one), but mostly people had to rely on folk remedies and home care to survive. Somebody who could heal with a word, or with a touch, would be a sensation. This is the context in which we find this quote from Isaiah.

The "Suffering Servant" of Isaiah comes, not only to take the sins of the world upon Himself, but is also described in the Passage as a healer. Matthew confirms this when he quotes the passage in connection to Jesus' Healing Ministry. Isaiah (and Matthew) refer to the Messiah as "The Servant" and as "The Beloved". How can a person be both? "Servant" is a lowly position, but "Beloved" implies Family, Friendship, and a bond that exceeds servanthood. It is one of the paradoxes of the Prophet that carries over seamlessly into the Gospels.

Here is the Passage from Matthew, in which the Evangelist quotes Isaiah from the Septuagint (Greek Translation of the Old Testament):

15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

16 And charged them that they should not make him known:

17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? (Matthew 12 KJV)

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

For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. (Mark 4:22)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS