SONGS FOR PRAYER

reading for: Tuesday Night, 11 July

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

The Kingdom-Life is a Life that Bear Fruits

• READ

  Matthew 13 is known as the third major discourse of Jesus. As a great crowd began to gather around Jesus, he took the opportunity to explain the nature of the Kingdom through a series of parables. The first in the series is the Parable of the Sower. Here’s how the parable goes – a Sower went out to sow and as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, some fell on rocky ground, some fell among thorns and some fell on good soil (v3-8). Jesus then declares “He who has ears, let him hear” (v9).

  Jesus’ disciples and the crowd clearly had functioning ears. They could hear Jesus and they heard what he said. However, they did not understand a single thing about the parable, which ironically, is the reason why Jesus chose to speak in parables. The parables are meant to both conceal and reveal the Kingdom. Only those who truly seek it will find it.

  Fortunately, Jesus did not leave them hanging. He proceeds to explain the meaning of the parable of the sower (v18). Jesus is the Sower who sows the word of the Kingdom. And the ground that the seeds fall on are the condition of people’s hearts. Hence, the Word is given to all but not all will receive it the same way.

  Some will hear it and forget about it. Some will receive it but fall away in the face of hardships. Some will receive it but are unfruitful because they are distracted by earthly things. And some will receive it and bear much fruits because they know what is required of them and acted on it.

• REFLECT

Along with the parable of the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan, the parable of the sower is one of the most familiar parable of Jesus. We have read it a thousand times and we understand the meaning of the parable. What more is there to glean from it?

In light of the post-Pentecost season where we are learning what it means to be sent, this parable reminds us that our mission is to sow, not to save. Hence, let us not be discouraged when the seeds we sow do not fall on good soil. At the same time, we must not forget that we too can fall away when we experience suffering or become unfruitful when we are consumed by the cares of this world. May you and I be the soil that bears much fruit.

reading for: Wednesday Night, 12 july

Genesis 25:19-34

The Kingdom-Life is a Life that is Inverted by Christ

• READ

  Genesis 25:19-34 introduces us to a family of four and the regular drama that occurs in a family. Isaac is the firstborn son of Abraham, which comes with many unspoken expectations (v19). The situation is further complicated when he finally marries at the age of 40 but his wife is barren and unable to produce a heir to continue the lineage (v20-21).

  Rebekah remained barren for almost 20 years before the LORD heard the prayer of Isaac and opened her womb (v26). 20 years is a long time. We can all testify to how much the world has changed and what each of us have been through in the last 20 years.

  The 20 years of barrenness would have brought Rebekah much shame, placed much strain on her relationships with Isaac and her in-laws, and caused much tension in the family. The years must have been filled with pain and despair. And when Rebekah at long last got pregnant and carried not just one child but two in her womb, it wasn’t all good news.

  It was a difficult pregnancy for Rebekah and it did not help to receive a confirmation from the LORD that the twins in her womb are destined for conflict (v22-24). And true enough, Rebekah gave birth to a set of twin that could not be more different –  Esau loved to hunt in the field while Jacob preferred to stay in tents (25-27). And as the twins grew up, each one received preferential treatment from their parent (v28). A perfect disaster in the making.

  Esau and Jacob were literally set up for conflict. With all the currents that were forming underneath the family, a confrontation between the brothers was inevitable. On a fateful afternoon, Esau comes home hungry after a day of hunting and finds Jacob making an awesome pot of stew (v29). And in a moment of exhaustion, Esau sold his permanent birthright for a passing hungry because he reviled his birthright as the firstborn son (v30-34).

• REFLECT

  It would be easy to demonize Jacob as a crook who cheated his own brother or use Esau as a case study on the consequences of instant gratification. However we interpret the story, we could probably agree that Esau and Jacob are neither purely good or evil but a mixed bag. And it can’t get any worse than being born as a twin in a family with weighty lineage.

  All in all, one thing we can be sure of – God did not condemn Jacob for his exploitative behaviour and acted contrary to the custom of the day where the firstborn was blatantly favoured and privileged. We may be puzzled but God chose to work through Jacob despite his wrongdoings and more often than not, his way is not the way we would have gone.

  In the second half of 2023, we want to learn to move together with Christ. Tonight’s lectionary reminds us that to move together with Christ is to move according to his Way. And his Way is often the reverse of what we think is natural, sensible and practical. If we want to move with him, we don’t get to decide where we want to go and how we will get there. However, we get to decide if we want to follow and obey. And we do get to decide if we will remain faithful to the field he has given us to work in. Will you follow or walk away?

reading for: Thursday Night, 13 july

Romans 8:1-11

The Kingdom-Life is a Life in Accordance to the Spirit

• READ

  Tonight’s lectionary text is taken from Romans 8:1-11. Before we jump right in, it would be helpful to trace the key thoughts of Paul that led to the statements he makes in chapter 8. Essentially, Paul names sin and death as the problem that plagues all humanity and puts forth Jesus as the solution to it.

  All of us are dead in our sins and we can’t save ourselves. Hence, Jesus came to deliver us from our plight and to establish a new Kingdom, a new humanity and a new way of life. All that is required of us is to believe. When we believe in him, we die with him and are given a new life. And the new life comes with a new family, a new humanity and a new way of life.

  What about the law? Do we still need it? What was the point of the law if we don’t need it anymore? Now, as a zealous Jewish pharisee who devoted his life to the Torah, we can be certain that Paul was well-versed in all things Old Testament and he knew that this was a puzzle he had to solve.

  Hence, Paul goes on to argue in chapter 7 that the point of the law was to reveal God’s desire for how we ought to live in relation to him and to one another. And paradoxically, the law was given to prove that no amount of law can fix the human heart. We need something more than laws and rules. And the solution is Jesus and the Spirit.

  Therefore, Paul declares that those who are in Christ are no longer condemned and have been set free from sin and death (v1-2). God has accomplished what the law failed to do – redeeming and renewing a people who are able to live the life that he had always intended through the Spirit (v3-8). And in Christ, we are no longer bound by law but bound to the Spirit who lives in us and who gives us life (v9-11).

• REFLECT

  For those of us who have entrusted our lives to Christ, our lives are no longer our own. We belong to Jesus. And if we belong to him, we belong to his family and to his Kingdom. That is the reality even if we don’t feel it or resent it. And in this family and in this Kingdom, we don’t get to live our lives however we want or do things however we like.

  Tonight’s passage is a gentle reminder to turn back from doing life on our terms. The truth is we don’t know how to live. We have a Father who loves us, a Son who holds us and a Spirit who lives in us. Let us live life on God’s terms and in accordance to the Spirit. Let us refrain from quenching the Spirit, grieving the Son and wounding the Father.

  If we live by the flesh, we will die. If we live by the Spirit, we will live. If our minds are set on earthly things, we will be of no heavenly good. If our minds are set on heavenly things, we will be of much earthly good.

  Will you set your mind on the things of God and live in accordance to the Spirit? If that is your desire, speak to God and with your LG on how you can tangibly and practically “walk” by the Spirit in the places and with the people that God has given you.

reading for: FRIDAY Night, 14 july

Psalm 119:105-112

The Kingdom-Life is a Life Immersed in the Word

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• REFLECT