Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for the week following the Fifth Sunday after Easter is taken from Psalm 66 verse 20, “Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me,” (NRSVB). Prayer as communication through praise and petition to God stands at the heart of our watchword. It is a word to give us hope and assurance that our calls and cries to God are never in vain. We are listened to and we are heard. God will never reject his children; neither will he reject their petitions. God asks of his children to be willing to abide in him and in his word and wait for the perfect time of his deliverance and divine intervention. The name of this Sunday is derived from the last verse of Psalm 66, focussing on prayer, or asking, rogare in Latin means to ask. In the old church tradition, the three days before Ascension Day were called Rogation Days, or Days of Prayer. In the northern hemisphere this would be the time when special attention had to be given to start crop cultivation. People came together to pray to God to bestow his favour on the production of food for the survival of humankind, by sending his rain, fair weather and peace and stability among the people. The final words of Psalm 66, where God is praise for, “God has certainly heard me: he has given heed to the voice of my prayer,” brings the Psalm to the full circle, linking the opening verse used in last week Cantate Sunday, “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord,” (Amplified Bible). Throughout scripture we are constantly reminded that God is a God who is near. God is a God who hears us and wants to restore peace and joy on earth. He is our hope, the hope that never disappoints, the hope that will be made visible.
The watchword for today is taken from the Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 33 verse 27, “The eternal God is your refuge and dwelling place,” (Amplified Bible). These words are taken from the moving prayer that Moses prayed to bless Israel. Moses was told by God that, after his prayer to dedicate Israel, before their entry to the Promised Land, God would come to take Moses’ life and bring him home to be with God. In Moses’ beautiful farewell prayer he reminds the Israelites of all God’s blessings, good outcomes and protection he gave them and will continue to give them as they enter into Canaan. Through Jesus Christ, we are made heirs to inherit also the blessings of the Promised Land, as we look forward to our home with the Lord while we journey here on earth. God’s love and protection are promised to us here on earth, for God is our dwelling place. The heroes of faith have shown us through history that meeting with God in prayer is the answer to every perplexity, for there, in that special space and place with God, understanding, wisdom and consolation will be given.
Our application verse for today is taken from the Magnificat of Mary, or the praise prayer of Mary, opening with the words, “I will magnify the Lord,” echoing the prayer Hannah. “For He Who is almighty had done great things for me. His mercy is on those who fear Him, from generation to generation,” Luke Chapter One, verses 49 to 50, (Amplified Bible). When the angel announced to Mary that she is the one who God has chosen to be the Mother of the Messiah, she was overwhelmed, and spoke to God with a prayer on her lips, the prayer that she was knew from the history of Israel and the gift of Samuel, the first prophet, to Hannah. Jesus’ disciple asked him to teach them to pray and he gave them the prayer that has ever since been on the lips of all those who call on God and seek his will and trust him to give us our daily bread and deliverance from all fears and evils for he is our God, our refuge from generation to generation.
Father, we bring our prayers and thank you that you will not reject our petitions. Amen.