Pray For Self

Every now and then when praying with someone who is suffering, I find that they refuse to pray for themselves. They are very fastidious in praying for others; but, they feel it would be selfish to pray for themselves. The problem with this is that we need to be healthy and strong in the Lord in order to serve God or others. It is not selfish to pray for our own health and wholeness. Every member of the Body of Christ needs to be well in order for it to serve in its greatest capacity.

As I discussed this topic the other night with some friends, I realized that I, too, fall into the category of someone who does not pray for themselves very much at all. My "prayer list" is so long that I rarely get to me, at least nothing personal, except for this one petition that I make daily at least in some form.

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." Amen (Psalm 19:14 NRSV)

May God help us to stay in perpetual prayer for others as well as for ourselves that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 119 - Martin Luther and Studying Theology

Wow! I am thinking that if you have read Psalm 119 this morning, as is the plan, that is probably enough for a devotional reading for one morning... Only two chapters after the shortest chapter in the Bible, we have the longest chapter with 176 verses. That is a lot of word to take in and to try to comprehend for one sitting.

As I was going through it, I was imagining using it for one Sunday when Keith (cantor) gets back from vacation. I'm pretty sure that he would tell us that we would have to read it - forget the chanting.

Martin Luther said that he loved Psalm 119 so much, that he would not take the whole world in exchange for one leaf of it. According to Martin, if you wanted to learn how to study theology 119 teaches us three rules to follow when studying the Word. They are prayer (oratio), meditation (meditatio), and testing (tentatio).
This is a blog and to cover chapter 119, it would take way too many of my words for a blog. Martin's are much better than mine. So, if you like to learn how to study theology click on the link: How to Study Theology by Martin Luther

Have a blessed day!

God's Peace - Pr. J

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (vs. 105 KJV, my personal favorite from chapter 119)