Daily Scripture: Luke 2:21 On the eighth day, when it was time for his b’rit-milah, he was given the name Yeshua, which is what the angel had called him before his conception.
22 When the time came for their purification according to the Torah of Moshe, they took him up to Yerushalayim to present him to Adonai 23 (as it is written in the Torah of Adonai, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to Adonai”[Luke 2:23 Exodus 13:2, 12, 15]) 24 and also to offer a sacrifice of a pair of doves or two young pigeons,[Luke 2:24 Leviticus 12:8] as required by the Torah of Adonai.
25 There was in Yerushalayim a man named Shim‘on. This man was a tzaddik, he was devout, he waited eagerly for God to comfort Isra’el, and the Ruach HaKodesh was upon him.
36 There was also a prophet named Hannah Bat-P’nu’el, of the tribe of Asher. She was a very old woman — she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage
37 and had remained a widow ever since; now she was eighty-four. She never left the Temple grounds but worshipped there night and day, fasting and praying.
Prayer Tip:The days that follow Christmas always leave me feeling a bit down. The merriment has ended and the chore of putting Christmas decorations lies ahead. Somehow New Year’s Eve always gives me a sense that there are more festivities worth living for, but unfortunately, once the holiday gets here, I feel more discouraged than ever because of the nagging sense that it is time to set new resolutions that I will undoubtedly break. Do you know the feeling?
The general ups and downs of the season are only amplified when life is full of real challenges. Over the last few weeks, in conversations with people about prayer, the same dilemma has been popping up: Getting up the strength to pray can be an extremely discouraging process when life is hard. One person talked to me about how discouraging it is that prayer hasn’t made her cancer disappear. Another shared with me that they must not be praying correctly because their mental illness hasn’t lifted. Another prayed that when the New Year hits financial difficulties would be gone. I loved hearing of the big things people were praying for because our God can do big things. Not only that but I think we all have a calling to pray boldly.
All of that being said, it each of those conversations we were challenged to also think about developing a new way of thinking about prayer. Unfortunately, our prayers can’t always magically lift our challenges. Sometimes, the best prayer we can pray can be: “God, help me to sense your comforting presence in the midst of all my pain.” We aren’t promised that God will answer all our prayers exactly as we wish, but we do believe that: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalms 46:1) The hymn that captures this idea that God is present with us in the midst of the chaos is Jesus Savior, Pilot Me. I have enjoyed listed to the Robbie Seay Band’s rendition lately (you can listen to it by clicking here)
As you listen, spend time thinking about your prayer life. How is God calling you to change your posture towards prayer as we enter this New Year?[Katherine Ebling-Frazier, Pastor of Prayer]
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