Today’s Reading: Hebrews 5; Hebrews 6; Hebrews 7; Hebrews 8
Scripture: Hebrews 5:7 During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.
Observation: What an interesting scripture! According to this verse, Jesus was one of those "loud pray-ers" -- He didn't pray silently or even quietly. He was also quite emotional about it -- crying with tears and all that kind of thing.
Application: Lots of people don't like loudness and emotion when it is connected to spirituality or religion. (It's OK at sporting events or at political protests, but for most it is apparently NOT OK at church.) Maybe this is one additional reason that the religious people of Jesus' time didn't like Him. He wasn't dignified and reserved in His practice of religion. His method of prayer makes Him seem like a fanatic. And fanatics always make the establishment uncomfortable.
Bottom line: If Jesus prayed with loud cries and tears, then that is a good way to pray. I need to practice because I am not very adept at praying this way.
Prayer: Lord help me to engage my emotions in prayer like Jesus did. Help me to get over my cultural preference for quiet, calm, and order and get into some serious prayers and petitions with all of my being. I need Your help in this, Lord. Teach me to really pray with a passion.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
2 comments:
Amen. If we truely poor out our hearts to our Father how can we not have emotion involved.
Well, we did it again. And of all the verses to catch our attention, this is probably the least "deep" theologically. But it is an imprtant and interesting point.
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