Advent Praying —
In the “Servant Songs” of Isaiah, the Old Testament prophet provides glimpses into the person and work of the Christ-to-come.
Hear one of these from 49:1-6:
Listen to me, O coastlands and give attention, you peoples from afar.
The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother He named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword;in the shadow of His hand He hid me; He made me a polished arrow; in His quiver He hid me away.
And He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the Lord, and my recompense with my God.”
And now the Lord says, [He who formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob back to Him; and that Israel might be gathered to Him — for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has become my strength].
He says: “It is too light a thing that you should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
From the promise to Abraham that his descendents would be a “light to the nations,” the nation of Israel lived an up-and-down pattern of advancement and decline in fulfilling this call to bring revelation of God to the nations. Just like a 7-branched Menorah would light up the Tabernacle and Temple, the beauty/splendor of God was to be manifested through His people. Unfortunately, the historical reality of the nation reveals more spoil than splendor.
But Isaiah here records an autobiographical account of One who commands all people to listen to Him. In Scripture, only God has that right. This figure, this “Servant” must be more than a mere man — even more than simply a great prophet.
Prenatally, this One received from God a name and a calling from God to be “sword” and “arrow” — weapons not of judgement but of revelation. It is the mouth of the Servant that brings God’s glory forth.
His Word! His revelation! His light!
And, who is the light going to impact? Both God’s people (“Jacob”) and the Gentiles (“for the nations” … “to the ends of the earth”). Jacob already had light, but would gain more clarity and brightness through the Advent of the Christ. The Gentiles sat in darkness and would gain initial Gospel light through the Advent of the Christ.
Today, pray for the light of Christ to impact both His people (those who are already walking in light … but we need renewal, Lord) and those in darkness (currently without Christ in the world).
Servant of the Lord, light the world!
Prayers for the week…
As people of the world:
- As neighbors and citizens: Pray for neighbors and friends who struggle with depression during the holiday season. This time of year can be full of loneliness for folks who have few relatives close by, or few relatives left living. Pray for them … but also seek them out in order that your presence in their life might be a counter-measure to the loneliness they feel. Visit a shut-in or a nursing-home bound person and give them some Christian cheer by your incarnate love.
- Pray pro-life prayers. Pray for young men who are even now finding themselves on the front-line of a moral crises they have brought into being through their impregnating of their girlfriend. Pray for these men, through the intervention of the Holy Spirit, to discover both truth and grace — leading to Christ’s wisdom. Pray that they would not go from bad (lust and fornication) to worse (complicity in abortion) in their actions, but would instead find repentance, forgiveness and life.
Pray for the Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) ministry taking place at the University of Alberta — led by Bryan Clarke:
Bryan has been serving with RUF since 2005 with his wife and family. He completed his undergraduate studies (BHK, B.Ed) at the University of Windsor, in Ontario, Canada, and his graduate studies, earning a Masters of Divinity in North Carolina, USA at the Reformed Theological Seminary. Bryan loves sports, theology, philosophy, and his wife and 3 girls (13, 10, 8). He loves to think about the big questions of life and help students see how there are consequences to these ideas in learning to live a life under God’s grace.
Using the 2013 “watchlist” produced by Open Doors, we pray for the persecuted Christians of a different country each week.
Teachers/parents, consider this a great way to introduce geography into the weekly lessons. Show students where the nation is, then pray for Christians in that place.
This week we pray for the Christians of Colombia, which ranks No. 46 on the watchlist.
Under the current president, there has been a resurgence of armed groups, who specifically target Christians because they know the Christian faith is not compatible with their values. Two pastors were killed in 2012 and about 300 indigenous persecuted Christians displaced from their homes. Pagan indigenous populations receive material support from rebel military organizations to persecute local Christians. These territories have become a safe haven for the rebel’s drug trafficking activities. Drug cartels and illegal armed groups continue to operate with impunity.
PRAY:
- Thank God that Christians in Colombia are willing to stand up and be a witness in social and political activities
- For indigenous converts, who are often denied access to basic social services, equal participation in decision-making, and risk being tortured or displaced
- For Open Doors’ Children’s Center, which provides a safe place for Christian children targeted by the rebel armed groups of Colombia.
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Prayer for the nation – focusing this week on Tennessee.
- Prayers for the PCUSA: Pray for the presbyteries of the Synod of Lakes and Praries: Central Nebraska, Dakota, Des Moines, East Iowa, Homestead, John Knox, Milwaukee, Minnesota Valleys, Missouri River valley, North Central Iowa, Northern Plains, Northern Waters, Prospect Hill, South Dakota, Twin Cities Area and Winnebago.
- Prayers for the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA): the churches of the Georgia Foothills Presbytery.
- Prayers for ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians.
- Prayers for The Fellowship of Presbyterians.