Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 8) is a model of intercession. He calls upon God to hear the prayers of his people in time of need, much as in Psalm 33:18-22.
In his sermon on Seder 11, Kyle Kettering noted that times of trial do not bring out the best in us. We may react in fear and distrust, as Abram did in a time of famine (Gen 12:10-13).
What we should do instead in time of trial is to pray like Solomon, empathizing and interceding for those who are suffering and in need. Kyle noted the punishment in Ezekiel 9 of those who were not sighing and groaning over the sins of Jerusalem in Ezekiel's day. He also pointed to the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15), who might be viewed as lacking compassion. Kyle urged us to never lose our compassion for human suffering when our lives are filled with such goodness.
At Church of the Messiah in Xenia, Ohio, we have been following a lectionary that goes through the Pentateuch in three and a half years, with accompanying readings in the prophets, psalms, and New Testament. This blog chronicles things that we have been learning along the way.
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Seder 85: Prayer in a Time of Suffering
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