Creative prayer ideas
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Friday 11 September 2009
Wednesday 2 September 2009
Love God and love your neighbour
I have just been reading the "Jesus Creed" by Scot McKnight -fascinating and insightful. In the Jesus Creed Scot talks about the Shema. Wikipedia tells us that "Shema Yisrael (or Sh'ma Yisroel or just Shema) (Hebrew: שמע ישראל; "Hear, [O] Israel") are the first two words of a section of the Torah (Hebrew Bible) that is a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services. The first verse encapsulates the monotheistic essence of Judaism: "Hear, O Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is One", found in Deuteronomy 6:4.
Observant Jews consider the Shema to be the most important prayer in Judaism, and its twice-daily recitation as a mitzvah (religious commandment). It is traditional for Jews to say the Shema as their last words.
The term "Shema" is used by extension to refer to the whole part of the daily prayers that commences with Shema Yisrael and comprises Deuteronomy 6:4–9, 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37–41. These are in the weekly Torah portions: VaEtchannan, Eikev, and Shlach respectively." Jesus added the requirement to love our neighbour.
Jesus taught us to how to live, expanding on the Shema, reworking Deuteronomy 6:4-9 in Luke 10:26-27 "Love the Lord your God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind" and "love your neighbour as yourself".
Mary, the mother of Jesus,found herself poor and thought of as a woman of dubious repute because of the circumstances of Jesus' conception; who would have thought that she had conceived by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, being righteous thought about divorcing her, for his reputation. Yet Mary glories in the revelation that she has been given that she is bearing the Messiah who will liberate. Scot McKnight quotes Tom Wright saying that Mary's Magnificat is "the gospel before the gospel". She announced a social revolution, prophesying that Herod's power will be overthrown, in his place will be a just ruler, her own Son, who will rule with justice and mercy! She asks God to fill the hungry, like Jesus who opened the banquet to the poor. She passed on her own vision, and lived a life that set a powerful example to Jesus, her Saviour but also her son. What a calling she had as a mother and what a great example to parents of passing on the blessing and grace of God, as well as the wisdom of God to their children.
Observant Jews consider the Shema to be the most important prayer in Judaism, and its twice-daily recitation as a mitzvah (religious commandment). It is traditional for Jews to say the Shema as their last words.
The term "Shema" is used by extension to refer to the whole part of the daily prayers that commences with Shema Yisrael and comprises Deuteronomy 6:4–9, 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37–41. These are in the weekly Torah portions: VaEtchannan, Eikev, and Shlach respectively." Jesus added the requirement to love our neighbour.
Jesus taught us to how to live, expanding on the Shema, reworking Deuteronomy 6:4-9 in Luke 10:26-27 "Love the Lord your God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind" and "love your neighbour as yourself".
Mary, the mother of Jesus,found herself poor and thought of as a woman of dubious repute because of the circumstances of Jesus' conception; who would have thought that she had conceived by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, being righteous thought about divorcing her, for his reputation. Yet Mary glories in the revelation that she has been given that she is bearing the Messiah who will liberate. Scot McKnight quotes Tom Wright saying that Mary's Magnificat is "the gospel before the gospel". She announced a social revolution, prophesying that Herod's power will be overthrown, in his place will be a just ruler, her own Son, who will rule with justice and mercy! She asks God to fill the hungry, like Jesus who opened the banquet to the poor. She passed on her own vision, and lived a life that set a powerful example to Jesus, her Saviour but also her son. What a calling she had as a mother and what a great example to parents of passing on the blessing and grace of God, as well as the wisdom of God to their children.
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