SONGS FOR PRAYER

reading for: Tuesday Night, 5 december

Mark 1:1-8

The Coming of Jesus Our Lord

• READ

  Scripture Reading: Mark 1:1-8

  1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

  2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

  “Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
      who will prepare your way,
  3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
      ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
      make his paths straight,’”

  4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

  Commentary:

  The gospel of Jesus Christ is good news that the Jewish people who were long awaiting their Messiah (deliverer-king). And Mark wastes no time connecting the Old Testament Exodus event with the New Exodus that was happening right now, something that would have instantly excited an anticipating Jew. In the Old Testament Exodus, the people of God had been led out into the wilderness, by the voice of God through the great prophet Moses, who had led them across the Red Sea, but it was Joshua who eventually led them across the river Jordan into the Promised Land. In this opening chapter, all the important elements are present. The people are led out into the wilderness by the prophetic voice of God through John the Baptist, they are turning back to God and being baptised in the Jordan river (Mal 3:1), which means that either John is Joshua, or someone like Joshua must soon come and lead them into the New Promised Land (Exodus 23:20-23, Joshua 3:6-17).

  Furthermore, by quoting Isaiah 40:3, Gospel-writer Mark adds another layer to the people’s longing for their Deliverer to liberate them from Roman occupation. Just as the people of Isaiah’s time were longing for the end of their Babylonian exile, for Mark, John is like the voice that announces “comfort” (Isaiah 40:1) to the exiles in Babylon. It was as if the Babylonian exile had followed them home. In short, if John is preparing the way (Mal 3:1), then God’s Anointed One (Messiah) is coming and they will truly enter God’s ‘Promised Land’.  Is it by coincidence that the name “Jesus” is the Greek form of the Hebrew name, “Joshua”?

• REFLECT

“Enemy-occupied territory—that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage. When you go to church you are really listening-in to the secret wireless from our friends: that is why the enemy is so anxious to prevent us from going.” Mere Christianity, CS Lewis

Our often-romanticized picture of Christmas - a cuddly baby in a manger, cozily surrounded by an adoring audience of shepherds and magi, fails to do real justice to the pain and suffering and deep longing of 1st Century Jews for God’s rightful king to come and put things in order. These next few weeks will you make it a point to come on Sundays for worship services and to come with a ready heart? How can you come longing and anticipating our returning king?

reading for: Wednesday Night, 6 december

Isaiah 40:1-11

The coming of Jesus the Shepherd

• READ

  OT Reading – Isaiah 40:1-11

  Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
  2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
      and cry to her
  that her warfare is ended,
      that her iniquity is pardoned,
  that she has received from the Lord's hand
      double for all her sins.

  3 A voice cries:
  “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
      make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
  4 Every valley shall be lifted up,
      and every mountain and hill be made low;
  the uneven ground shall become level,
      and the rough places a plain.
  5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
      and all flesh shall see it together,
      for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

   

  6 A voice says, “Cry!”
      And I said, “What shall I cry?”
  All flesh is grass,
      and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.
  7 The grass withers, the flower fades
      when the breath of the Lord blows on it;
      surely the people are grass.
  8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
      but the word of our God will stand forever.

   

  9 Go on up to a high mountain,
      O Zion, herald of good news;
  lift up your voice with strength,
      O Jerusalem, herald of good news;
      lift it up, fear not;
  say to the cities of Judah,
      “Behold your God!”
  10 Behold, the Lord God comes with might,
      and his arm rules for him;
  behold, his reward is with him,
      and his recompense before him.
  11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
      he will gather the lambs in his arms;
  he will carry them in his bosom,
      and gently lead those that are with young.

  Commentary:

  The people of Israel are not in a good place in the time of Isaiah. They are likely in exile in a foreign land. Isaiah 40 starts with a word of comfort from the Lord. The prophet is asked to speak tenderly to Jerusalem that her warfare is ended, and her iniquity is pardoned for she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.

  Israel is told to prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness. They are currently in the “wilderness” being exiled to a foreign land, but they are commanded to prepare the way of the Lord. Every valley shall be lifted up and every mountain and hill will be made low. The glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all flesh shall see the glory of the Lord.

  The prophet is again asked to “cry” and he asks the Lord what shall he cry. The Lord tells him that the grass withers and the flower fades but the word of our God will stand forever.  What is the content of the word of God for them? The Lord tells the prophet to say these words. The prophet is to bring good news to the people, encouraging them not to fear and to tell them that the Lord God comes with might, his arm rules for him and his reward is with him and recompense before him. The Lord comes to them to tend his flock like a shepherd, gathering the lambs in his arms. He will carry them in his bosom and gently lead those that are with young.

  As we have seen Israel is not in a good place. The Lord comes to bring comfort and encouragement to them as their shepherd. He who is the Lord of glory comes to them as their shepherd who will take care of them. This is the word of the Lord that the prophet was commanded to proclaim and cry. This is the good news for the people.

• REFLECT

  The Lord comes as our shepherd who leads us and guides us. He carries us in his bosom and gathers us in his arms. We celebrate his coming to this world two thousand years ago when he came as our shepherd, who when we were in darkness brought us into his arms and took care of us. We believe in a shepherd who is with us, leading and guiding us by his Spirit. We look forward to the future coming of this shepherd who is the glorious Lord.

  In this season of Christmas, let us celebrate the numerous comings of the Lord. Jesus Christ is our Lord who came, is coming and will come again as the shepherd.

reading for: Thursday Night, 7 december

2 Peter 3:8-15a

The delay of Jesus’ return

• READ

Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 3:8-15a

8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies[b] will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Commentary:

Just as Isaiah declared God’s coming in deliverance, comforting those who sought salvation, and Mark spoke to those in the first century who were in great anticipation of the Messiah’s 1st Coming, today’s reading from 2 Peter (3:8–15a) now speaks to the early Christians as they go through the growing pains of faithful living in a hostile world, which makes them long for the Lord’s soon return.

Two important questions on their minds would be - “Will it be worth the wait?” and “What should I do in the meantime?”

In 2 Peter 3:8–15a, these questions are skilfully addressed. Peter firmly and directly gives a ‘yes’, after inviting the reader to consider a strong reason for the Lord’s delay – the need for time for believers to repent (v9). What looks like God’s sluggishness is in fact God’s merciful heart.  

But assuredly just as it is written in the synoptic apocalypses (Mark 13, Matt. 24, Luke 21), the Day of the Lord will come like a thief, that is, precisely when they are not expecting it (Matt. 24:43; Luke 12:39; 1 Thess. 5:2). However, there is a twist. The judgement and wrath that believers might be hoping that God metes out to their persecutors or tormentors, they might also be subjected to themselves if they are not living holy lives as citizens of God’s kingdom while awaiting its fullness to arrive with Christ’s return.

Yet, is not the time of despair, but the time of waiting (v. 14). It is not the time of our frustration, but of God’s patience (v. 15). Because this is the time of God’s patience, this is—still—the time of our salvation.

REFLECT

• If you’re ready for Christmas, are you ready for His return? Second Peter reminds us that the invitation to repentance is always filled with grace. Are you living in purity and holiness or are you taking advantage of your freedom to live wilfully and without circumspect?   

reading for: FRIDAY Night, 8 DECEMBER

Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13

Anticipating God’s Beautiful Work in the New Year

• READ

God, you smiled on your good earth!

You brought good times back to Jacob!

You lifted the cloud of guilt from your people,

you put their sins far out of sight.

I can’t wait to hear what he’ll say.

God’s about to pronounce his people well,

The holy people he loves so much,

so they’ll never again live like fools.

See how close his salvation is to those who fear him?

Our country is home base for Glory!

Love and Truth meet in the street,

Right Living and Whole Living embrace and kiss!

Truth sprouts green from the ground,

Right Living pours down from the skies!

Oh yes! God gives Goodness and Beauty;

our land responds with Bounty and Blessing.

Right Living strides out before him,

and clears a path for his passage. (The Message)

What is the message and hope of the gospel at Christmas? What do we anticipate with God’s only Son entering into our world?

Psalm 85 is a beautiful prayer/song that anticipates God’s beautiful work in the new year.

Our LORD, the Creator of heaven and earth pours out his blessing on his land. He restores the fortunes by bringing back wonderful times for His chosen people (v. 1)

He forgives our wrongdoings and clothes us with righteousness (v.2).

Therefore, we are invited to hear and attend to Him, for His words bring peace to His children (v.8).

His hand of salvation, His hand of grace and unfailing love is near those who fear him, and he longs and delights to fill our land with his glory (v.9).

When He comes and when His hand is upon us, unfailing love and truth will meet. Right living and whole living will embrace and kiss one another (v.10)

Truth will sprout up from the ground, rightness will shine down from heaven (v. 11).

Our LORD, our God delights to pour out his blessings and cause our land to be bountifully fruitful (v. 12).

Righteousness will shine forth and pave the way for His arrival (v. 13).

The gospel at Christmas is that God loves us so much that He gave His Son, bringing light and life into our world. He couldn’t bear to see us groping and struggling in darkness, lost and abandoned. So He sent His Son, bringing unfailing love, truth, righteousness into our world.

• REFLECT

  As you end 2023 and prepare to enter into 2024, what desires do you have of the new year? What do you long for God to do and deepen in your life, at your workplace and in your home?

  Christmas, the celebration of Jesus, the Light, the Love, the Light means that we can “realistically” look forward to the new year with eyes of hope and anticipation. For He will do a beautiful new and deeper work in our world.

  Would you anticipate and join in with the angels to proclaim and welcome His arrival and life that He brings?