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A journey through Lent - 2016
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Day Ten - The Son.
We have many names for and ways of thinking of Jesus. Messiah, Shepherd, Priest, Healer, Teacher, King, Saviour, Lamb of God and many more.
All are helpful to us at different times and in different situations. In this passage the Psalmist uses two of these images - priest and king.
The king in Psalm 110 sits at God's right hand and is guaranteed victory over anyone who opposes him. He also rules his people so that they freely follow him.
What a wonderful image of our resurrected king Jesus, who we gladly follow.
The psalm also uses the image of the Priest. As we have read, in previous reflections, priests are to offer sacrifices and prayers on behalf of their people.
The Psalmist declares that Jesus is our permanent priest who continually intercedes for us.
Never are we on our own as we come to God in prayer.
Never do we stand alone as we confess our shortcomings.
Never in the quiet joining of the Spirit do we need to fear.
Our Priest and King is always holding us gently in his hands and heart. Each of our names is truly written on his hand.
His death and resurrection allows us, through him, to draw near to God.
Bible Passage: - Psalm 110 (ESV) (NIV)
The Lord says to my lord:
'Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.'
The Lord will extend your mighty sceptre from Zion, saying,
'Rule in the midst of your enemies!'
Your troops will be willing
on your day of battle.
Arrayed in holy splendour,
your young men will come to you
like dew from the morning's womb.
The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind:
'You are a priest for ever,
in the order of Melchizedek.'
The Lord is at your right hand;
he will crush kings on the day of his wrath.
He will judge nations, heaping up the dead
and crushing the rulers of the whole earth.
He will drink from a brook along the way;
and so he will lift his head high.
Contemplation Saying.
"Sit at my right hand"
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: Singing the Faith 264 - "Make way, make way for Christ the King"
Let us pray together.
Twitter Prayer
Let us not be disheartened but follow everyday the way of the King.
Facebook Prayer
Help us like the Psalmist to realise that you know our hearts. You take and use our words and actions to reveal yourself to your creation.
So we must not be disheartened but follow every day the way of the King.
Full Prayer
Father, we are overcome with thanks, when we remember that you have raised Jesus from the dead and seated him at your right hand.
For he is our King forever and rules with power and justice. We gladly follow on the path he leads us into your presence.
Lord, so often our prayers are difficult. We cannot form the words and sentences in the way that we really want to to express our praise and worship of you.
We stumble over our prayers as we say sorry. We try to express the deep longing we have to change ourselves and our world.
Lord so often our Mission is difficult. We cannot find the things we can do which have the results we want. That others may know you in their lives as we do.
Help us like the Psalmist to realise that you know our hearts and take our words and actions to reveal yourself to your creation.
We must not be disheartened but follow every day the way of the King.
Help us to trust in him every day as our priest and king. In Jesus' Name we offer all of our prayers, Amen.