David Knott's Blog - Posts Tagged "prayer"
A PRAYER OF BLESSING
Two Bible verses have leapt out at me recently:
#1 “Wherever I cause my name to be honoured, I will come to you and bless you.” (Exodus 20:24 NIV)
Whatever part we may play in the purposes of God, how amazing to know that in the end, it is God who causes his name to be honoured, not us. And how generous he is in promising to come to us and bless us, when we are his instruments in bringing honour to his name.
#2 “…I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills” (Exodus 31:3 NIV)
The Lord said this to Moses about the person that God had chosen to lead the work of making the Ark of the Covenant and all the other articles associated with the Tabernacle. How good it is to know that God fills us with all we need to fulfil our calling, whatever that might be.
It occurred to me that we can combine these two verses into a wonderful prayer of blessing, for ourselves and others, along these lines:
“Lord please cause your name to be honoured in me today. Please come to me and fill me with your Spirit, with wisdom, with knowledge and with the skill to complete the good work you have given me to do, for the praise of your glory.” Amen!
https://medium.com/pelos-press
#1 “Wherever I cause my name to be honoured, I will come to you and bless you.” (Exodus 20:24 NIV)
Whatever part we may play in the purposes of God, how amazing to know that in the end, it is God who causes his name to be honoured, not us. And how generous he is in promising to come to us and bless us, when we are his instruments in bringing honour to his name.
#2 “…I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills” (Exodus 31:3 NIV)
The Lord said this to Moses about the person that God had chosen to lead the work of making the Ark of the Covenant and all the other articles associated with the Tabernacle. How good it is to know that God fills us with all we need to fulfil our calling, whatever that might be.
It occurred to me that we can combine these two verses into a wonderful prayer of blessing, for ourselves and others, along these lines:
“Lord please cause your name to be honoured in me today. Please come to me and fill me with your Spirit, with wisdom, with knowledge and with the skill to complete the good work you have given me to do, for the praise of your glory.” Amen!
https://medium.com/pelos-press
What do you treasure? (What distinguishes you?)
Jesus said:
‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.’ (Matthew 13:44-46 NIV)
What is it about the kingdom of heaven that makes it like hidden treasure and a pearl of great value? Well, even though they were far from the Promised Land, and understood little about the nature of God, I think that Moses and the Israelites knew.
In Exodus 33 God said that he would give them the Promised Land, he would even send an angel before them to drive out their enemies. But Moses and the people we devastated. Why? They were devastated because the Lord said that he would not go with them. He would not go with them because they were a “stiff-necked people”, and he might destroy them. They had shown the hardness of their hearts though their sin with the golden calf. Even a people such as this were devastated by the thought of losing the presence of God. We often do not realise the treasure that we have until we lose it. Moses and the people understood that the Promised Land would be nothing without the presence of the Lord with them. They show us that: it is the presence of the Lord that is the true hidden treasure; it is the Lord himself who is the "pearl of great value", his love and his nature that we can experience in the kingdom of heaven.
I love the way that Moses says to God:
'You have said, “I know you by name and you have found favour with me.” If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favour with you.' … ‘If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?’ (Exodus 33:12,13,15,16 NIV)
Following Moses’ prayer, the Lord does indeed promise to go with them, but I love the way Moses says "What else will distinguish me..." How true that is. What a blessing and privilege we in Christ have, to know that the Holy Spirit dwells within us, "Christ in us". He is the one who distinguishes us; he is the one who empowers us. He is the treasure that lives within our jars of clay. Let's rejoice, let’s keep asking God to fill us with his Spirit, let’s be prepared to do whatever it takes to know him more and to please him.
‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.’ (Matthew 13:44-46 NIV)
What is it about the kingdom of heaven that makes it like hidden treasure and a pearl of great value? Well, even though they were far from the Promised Land, and understood little about the nature of God, I think that Moses and the Israelites knew.
In Exodus 33 God said that he would give them the Promised Land, he would even send an angel before them to drive out their enemies. But Moses and the people we devastated. Why? They were devastated because the Lord said that he would not go with them. He would not go with them because they were a “stiff-necked people”, and he might destroy them. They had shown the hardness of their hearts though their sin with the golden calf. Even a people such as this were devastated by the thought of losing the presence of God. We often do not realise the treasure that we have until we lose it. Moses and the people understood that the Promised Land would be nothing without the presence of the Lord with them. They show us that: it is the presence of the Lord that is the true hidden treasure; it is the Lord himself who is the "pearl of great value", his love and his nature that we can experience in the kingdom of heaven.
I love the way that Moses says to God:
'You have said, “I know you by name and you have found favour with me.” If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favour with you.' … ‘If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?’ (Exodus 33:12,13,15,16 NIV)
Following Moses’ prayer, the Lord does indeed promise to go with them, but I love the way Moses says "What else will distinguish me..." How true that is. What a blessing and privilege we in Christ have, to know that the Holy Spirit dwells within us, "Christ in us". He is the one who distinguishes us; he is the one who empowers us. He is the treasure that lives within our jars of clay. Let's rejoice, let’s keep asking God to fill us with his Spirit, let’s be prepared to do whatever it takes to know him more and to please him.
A Christmas Psalm
HE CAME to be my shepherd, I lack nothing.
HE CAME to make me lie down in green pastures,
HE CAME to lead me beside quiet waters,
HE CAME to refresh my soul.
HE CAME to guide me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
YOU CAME to be with me,
so that even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil;
YOU CAME that your rod and your staff,
might comfort me.
YOU CAME to prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
YOU CAME to anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
YOU CAME to make sure your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and because YOU CAME, I will dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever.
HE CAME to make me lie down in green pastures,
HE CAME to lead me beside quiet waters,
HE CAME to refresh my soul.
HE CAME to guide me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
YOU CAME to be with me,
so that even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil;
YOU CAME that your rod and your staff,
might comfort me.
YOU CAME to prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
YOU CAME to anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
YOU CAME to make sure your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and because YOU CAME, I will dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever.
