Don’t Forget

Cross Near St. George Monastery, Israel

The cross near the St. George Monastery in Israel is in the Judean Desert where John the Baptist lived and preached. The cross is a reminder to us of why Jesus came to earth. He preached about the Kingdom of God and a new way to live – to be salt and light, to love and show compassion, to be generous. He said we could cast our cares on Him because He loves us. During His last week with the disciples, He shared the Passover meal with them and said to them, “Don’t forget me. Don’t forget why I came” (my paraphrase). He gave them bread, which represented His body and wine, which represented His shed blood. He died for the forgiveness of our sins to give us eternal life with the Father. His last will and testament was for us to, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:16-20).

Love the Lord

Jesus quoted Moses when He said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Moses continued, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:5-7).

Before Moses died on Mt. Nebo, he reminded Israel, “Don’t forget how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He fed you when you were hungry and gave you water out of a rock when you were thirsty. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors (my paraphrase of Deuteronomy 8:1-4).

I trudged through the Judean desert where John the Baptist lived, and I know that it was a miracle that the Israelites’ clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell. My feet swelled and broke out in a terrible rash from the heat. I traveled from place to place in a bus. Israel traveled by foot or camel. I am in awe today how God carried His people to the land of promise, how He gave them land, homes to live in they did not build and vineyards they did not plant – a land flowing with streams and springs even in the desert.

Prayer

Thank you Father God, King of the Universe, for your amazing love and care. Thank you for your salvation and freedom to serve you and others. Empower us with your word to live by and to share with people in our families and communities. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Time to Pray

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The Jews practiced praying together even when they were apart from each other by using fixed times of prayer. They prayed at the time of the morning sacrifice (9:00) and the evening sacrifice (3:00). God led them out of slavery in Egypt and through the wilderness to the Promised Land. What God said, they did. He said, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. . .” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). However, somewhere along the way they stopped doing what God said. They persecuted and murdered the prophets. This is the world Jesus entered. They also persecuted and murdered Him. Thanks be to God, that is not the end of the story. Jesus rose from the grave to defeat sin, death and Satan. He came to give us new life, eternal life.

Jesus taught His followers how to live their lives pleasing to God. He taught them how to pray when He said, “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:5-7).

The Early Church

The early church practiced fixed times of prayer as did the Jews God rescued from slavery. They prayed at 9:00, 12:00 and 3:00 whether they were together or apart. This brought Heaven to earth. It made the early Christians unstoppable and unshakable. It’s how the gospel moved on the ground from Jerusalem to Judea and to Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

What About Us?

United in prayer at fixed times during the day, I believe we could be unstoppable and unshakable too. God will empower us to be His witnesses in the world; to reach those who need to know God’s amazing love. Will you pray with me at 9:00, 12:00 and 3:00? Set your alarms so we can pray at the same time. Jesus gave a good pattern of prayer. It’s a prayer you probably know.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer

Thank you, Holy Father, for your Word and for Jesus who taught us how to pray. Help us to be faithful and to be your witnesses in our world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.