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A journey through Lent - 2016
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Day Eight - The Priest.
How often we see that power and position corrupt, in our politicians, business leaders, bankers and even religious leaders.
These are perhaps easy to see, targets of the media, brought to public light. But there are many wrongs in the world and I am sure we all want to see them set right.
In this passage we see the role of priests was to go before God on behalf of the people to intercede and plead for them, perform their religious duties that honored God and to wear the priestly garments which would mark them as counsellors of the people with wisdom from God.
The sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the very ones who should have been caring for others were in fact harming them, exploiting their position.
When we look at our own lives and the lives of those around us, we often ask the same question. How will God right the wrongs of the world? It is a soul searching question for we realise that we ourselves are guilty of wronging others. The very people we know we should love and serve are often the victims of our selfishness, our own interests and priorities.
We pray for the wrongs to be stopped, but in addition to our prayers we need someone to go before God and plead for us, as we too are guilty.
God says, "And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest ... my anointed one always." The Hebrew in this context means a faithful and enduring priest who is also the king forever. Only our Lord Jesus can claim this position.
Unlike the sons of Eli, Jesus is faithfull he intercedes for us, he pleads for and with us that we set aside our selfish nature and follow him in the way of love.
A wonderous picture of our salvation through Christ.
Bible Passage: - 1 Samuel Chapter 2 Verses 27 - 36 (NIV)
Now a man of God came to Eli and said to him, 'This is what the Lord says: "Did I not clearly reveal myself to your ancestor's family when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh? I chose your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave your ancestor's family all the food offerings presented by the Israelites. Why do you scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honour your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?"
'Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: "I promised that members of your family would minister before me for ever." But now the Lord declares: "Far be it from me! Those who honour me I will honour, but those who despise me will be disdained. The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age, and you will see distress in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no one in your family line will ever reach old age. Every one of you that I do not cut off from serving at my altar I will spare only to destroy your sight and sap your strength, and all your descendants will die in the prime of life.
'"And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you - they will both die on the same day. I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed one always. Then everyone left in your family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread and plead, 'Appoint me to some priestly office so that I can have food to eat.'"'
Contemplation Saying.
"Those who honour me I will honour."
Contemplative Prayer.
Think of the saying in order to understand context and meaning,
Feel the meaning of the saying with and in your heart,
Pray, using the saying, for yourself or others. With only a name and without explaining the reasons or pre-defining any answers.
Listen for God's voice in the quiet of your prayers.
Pray using your own prayers or one of those which have been prepared below.
Hymn: Songs of Fellowship 3 - 1187 - "Before the throne of God above"
Let us pray together.
Twitter Prayer
In this period of Lent we take time to ponder those less than perfect parts of our lives and resolve to set them aside.
Facebook Prayer
In this period of Lent we take time to ponder those less than perfect parts of our lives and resolve to set them aside
We believe you keep no record of these things when we set them down and so we pray that we too may not have our lives hampered by our pasts. May we step out with you liberated from the oppression of sin.
Full Prayer
Lord Jesus, you are our enduring great high priest and king.
We thank you that you have opened a way for us to approach you even though we are often guilty in our thoughts, words and deeds.
In this period of Lent we take time to ponder those less than perfect parts of our lives and resolve to set them aside.
We believe you keep no record of these things when we set them down and so we pray that we too may not have our lives hampered by our pasts. May we step out with you liberated from the oppression of sin.
We pray that you will provide us with your grace. The grace that restores, preserves, leads and guards us.
We pray for all those in positions of power, be it in the church or in the wider world.
May they feel the responsibilities of their office and carry them out to the very best of their abilities.
When temptations come, as they always do, may they be strong in keeping to the truth.
May they value every individual in their care as you value each one of us. May they seek an end to injustice, poverty and fear.
Pouring out their energy in the service of their people.
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Eli image from a larger picture from colorthebible.blogspot.com