"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Tuesday, 29 November 2016 with Scripture Psalm 122

"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Tuesday, 29 November 2016 with Scripture Psalm 122
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Psalm 122:(0) A song of ascents. By David:
(1) I was glad when they said to me,
“The house of Adonai! Let’s go!”
2 Our feet were already standing
at your gates, Yerushalayim.
3 Yerushalayim, built as a city
fostering friendship and unity.
4 The tribes have gone up there, the tribes of Adonai,
as a witness to Isra’el,
to give thanks to the name of Adonai.
5 For there the thrones of justice were set up,
the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for shalom in Yerushalayim;
may those who love you prosper.
7 May shalom be within your ramparts,
prosperity in your palaces.
8 For the sake of my family and friends, I say,
“Shalom be within you!”
9 For the sake of the house of Adonai our God,
I will seek your well-being.[Complete Jewish Bible] 
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The city, the community, the gathering of God's people, is known as a city of peace. It is from this place of peace that God's word comes forth. And it is to this place of peace that our footsteps take us. This is not a place of fear. It is not a place of harsh words, back-biting, a place of lies or deceit. The city of peace, Jerusalem, is not a walled-in city that defends itself against outsiders and fiercely protects all its borders. All the tribes of the Lord--certainly here the twelve tribes of Israel, but representing the tribes, the nations, the peoples of the world--yearn and come towards this city, this community. The yearning of all peoples is security, justice, a good life for friends, family, for all people. Our Advent yearning and hope is one of peace. 
O God of peace, envelop us, our friends and family in that peace which only you can give. Amen.
Dirk G. Lange
Associate Dean, Graduate Theological Education and Fredrik A. Schiotz Chair of Missions and Professor of Worship, Luther Seminary
Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord!"
2 Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem--built as a city that is bound firmly together.
4 To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
5 For there the thrones for judgment were set up, the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you.
7 Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers."
8 For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, "Peace be within you."
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.[New Revised Standard Version]

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