SONGS FOR PRAYER

SET PRAYER

Almighty God,

in your goodness, you provide for the needy.

Remove from your people the pride of place

and the pursuit of power that mocks humility.

Open our hearts in generosity and justice

to the neglected and lonely,

that in showing esteem for others,

we may honor and please you

through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. Amen

reading for: Tuesday Night, 23 August

Luke 14:1, 7-14

A New Way of Eating and Hosting Meals

• READ

  How do you think our Heavenly Father would host a meal and eat with others? Who would He invite and eat with?

  Many of us CNLers enjoy eating together. We love to eat and catch up over a meal, whether its in someone’s home or at a new restaurant. Whether its over durian or just a cup of coffee.

  This is the same scenario that we find Jesus in. He was invited to eat together at a house of a Pharisee leader. But in the second half of our text this week, he turns and speaks to his host, the one who had invited him to this meal.

  Jesus tells him how God the Father would host and eat with others. Rather than inviting people and eating with those whom we usually eat with - friends, relatives, or rich neighbours. We are to invite and eat with those who are poor, crippled, lame or blind. Why? Because our friends, relatives and rich neighbours will reciprocate. They will usually invite us and repay us with another meal.

  But its the poor, crippled, lame or blind that are unable to. They do not have the capacity to do so. Yet they are the ones who “need” this meal most. Not just because they do not have the means to have a good meal, but also because they are the neglected in society. Most do not want to associate with them as they are powerless.

• REFLECT

  How do you see your meal times? How do you arrange meals and invite others for a meal together?

  Jesus is not saying that we should not eat with our families, relatives or rich neighbours. He’s trying to point us to include a new way of eating and hosting others.

  A new way where hosting and eating is not for self enjoyment and consumption, but for caring for those who are powerless and neglected in society.

  A new way where hosting and eating is not exclusively for the rich and able, but where the needy and hurting are included.

  A new way of hosting and eating is not for those who already have, but for those who are lost and do not have.

  Look in your schedule and prayerfully reflect on the meals you have already scheduled this week. How can you shift to include a meal that showcases God’s heart of inclusivity and generosity to someone in need? (Think beyond the usual “charity” avenues of the homeless and low income. That someone in need could simply be someone at work who’s seldom invited to a lunch)

reading for: Wednesday Night, 24 August

Proverbs 25:6-7

A New Way of Eating with Others

• READ

  What would going to a meal and not seeking honour look like for us? How do we seek honour in the way we eat with others today?

  This simple instruction in proverbs is actually expounded on by Jesus in our Luke reading. In Proverbs, we’re simply taught a new way of conduct when we appear before a King. Rather than demanding an audience or pushing for importance, it would be better for us to wait and called up into a better seat than to be told to step away and make way for someone else more important.

  Jesus further elaborates on this by saying that we are in no place to exact ourselves. This action of putting people in place, whether its putting them up into a greater place of importance or lowering them down, is reserved for the host or king. As guests, we are to take out place and submit to the host, rather than try to vie for a more important place (Luke 14:10-11). Those who seek and fight for honour themselves will in the end be humbled. But when we take our place humbly, we will appropriately be lifted up.

• REFLECT

  This scenario of fighting for honour and exalting ourselves might seem like something we don’t do in our Asian context. So the question is how do we seek honour when we eat with others?

  I believe that its in the way we talk and converse. Its so easy to share and talk about our own stories, our own accomplishments, troubles and successes during meals. And in so doing we seek honour for ourselves. We either seek to be exalted by dominating the conversations around the meal, or by lifting the impression of who we are through our accomplishments.

  What then can we do as an alternative? We can seek to hear, understand and honour those whom we are eating with instead. As we create a space for others to share, we also affirm, encourage and lift up the good that is happening in their lives. We learn to stand together with them in their challenges and prayerfully lift their troubled hearts and circumstances before the Lord.

  As you look to your meals this coming week, prayer plan and ask the Lord to give you the wisdom and capacity to honour others while you eat.

reading for: Thursday Night, 25 August

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

A New Way of Worship and Praise

• READ

  For us living in Singapore in 2022, what does living in faith look like? What does it look to be living in view of Mount Zion - the city of God (Hebrews 11:16 and 12:22)? This new way of living, is essentially what worship with reverence and awe (12:28) with a continual sacrifice of praise (13:15) looks like.

  We are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. No matter how big the differences are in our lifestyle choices.

  We are to show hospitality to strangers (and most certainly the poor, needy, lame and blind that Jesus mentioned in Luke).

  We are to remember those who have been imprisoned or trapped because of the gospel.

  We are to honour marriages and remain faithful to one another in our marriages.

  We are to be content with what we have rather than chase after money.Finally, we are to remember our leaders who speak God’s word to us, and as they follow and exemplify Christ, we too follow their Christ-like example.

  This is what worship with reverence and awe to God looks like, this is how we can continually bring a sacrifice of praise to God. This is what it looks like to live in faith in Singapore 2022.

• REFLECT

  How are we loving our bothers and sisters in Christ? Whether they are in CNL and in our LGs, or whether they are in our workplaces. Its not uncommon to meet a Christian at the workplace who has quirks like an “oddball/weirdo”. Rather than join the majority and outcast him/her in our actions, what would loving him/her look like this week?

  In light of the recent announcement to repeal 377A by the government, what would it look like for you and fellow Christians to honour marriages? Rather than focusing on a criminal law, how can we shift our focus and honour marriages? How are our own marriages doing and how are we honouring and being faithful to our marriages? When was the last time you earnestly prayed together with your spouse?

  Consider the remaining of your week and your coming weekend and prayerfully ask the Lord how you can bring forth a new way of worship and praise to Him in your life.

reading for: Friday Night, 26 August

Psalm 112

A New Humanity

• READ

  What does a human being who fears the Lord look like? What kind of stature will he/she have?

  Psalms 111 and 112 should be treated as a pair. Both of them are of the same length with similar phrases occurring. In Hebrew, both have 22 lines that start with each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. While Psalm 111 speaks about who God is, Psalm 112 describes the kind of stature and life of a person who fears and delights in obeying God (v. 1)

  Verses 2-3 describe the kind of family, the kind of children and blessed generation of this person. Besides wealth, good deeds and actions will fill this family.

  Verses 4-9 then describe how he/she will live in this world:

  In contrast to the darkness all around, he/she will shine like a light, through generosity, compassion and righteousness (v. 4).

  In business and financial matters, fairness and generosity will mark his/her conduct (v. 5).

  In light of evil, they will not be overcome by it but will instead be remembered for their righteousness (v. 6).

  Bad news will not bring fear but will instead bring dependence and trust in the Lord (v. 7).

  In the face of opposition, there will be confidence and fearlessness (v. 8)

  Generosity will mark their lives, influence and honour will come (v. 9)

  And when the wicked see such individuals, they will be consumed by their own anger and frustration (v. 10).

• REFLECT

  Much like Hebrews 13 where Paul describes what living in faith looks like 2000 years ago, Psalms 112 is a description of what someone who fears God and obeys his commands look like. This description however, is not meant to be a moral standard that we are to live up to, but a picture of what God wants to do in our lives, by the power of the Spirit.

  Is there 1 aspect of this new humanity that really speaks to you and the yearning of your heart right now?

  Pray and ask the Lord to make this happen in your life. And as you pray, see what the Lord places in your heart to respond in obedience.