Reading Psalm 125 and 126 and their pleas for good made me stop and think.
How do you pray? Do you pray for blessings. For those you love? For those you care about? I do.
Maybe that's what we were to learn from these Psalms. These Psalms pre-date Jesus and they never pray for their enemies. Its not in their nature. I've found myself lately doing a few things:
1) Hoping Russian Gymnasts would fall. (And feeling guilty about it, but doing it anyway).
2) Praying for people I am angry with, hurt by, and upset by.
How can I do both of those things? Well, because I'm human. But, the Christian imperative to pray for our enemies is unique. How good are you at that? I'm good at praying like these Psalms--for those who are good. For those I love. For the righteous! I've had to learn how to pray for my enemies.
How are you doing with it?
Lord--Help us to love the unloveable. Help us to see with your eyes. Bless those who annoy, hurt, betray us. Not so they might win, but so that might see the light of your goodness. Maybe if they change--we can change the world! We love you! Amen.
Blessings!
Pastor Emily
2 comments:
Jesus is our model to praying for, caring for our enemies. Showing all human emotion is what makes the Psalms great! They are the prayers and songs of humans who feel joy, fear, pain, guilt, sorrow, weariness, anguish, forsaken, seeking for God, reverence for God. . .
In 125 I like how "those who trust God" are like the mountains and can not be shaken. If we just put our trust and confidence in God, knowing He is in control, He loves me, He rules, we can be steady and firm like a mountain, no matter what the storm. Picture God with His arms around us, just like the mountains circle Jerusalem!
And 126, coming back from our own Babylons, places of captivity and separation from God, we can laugh and be joyful again!
Do you remember having that discussion many moons ago about how hard it is to pray for our enemies, but that we are commanded to do so? The conversation turned into a blog post. :)
It is difficult and something all of us have to make a conscious effort to do.
Blessings!
Post a Comment