People who read my blog know that I am a fan of Pope Leo. One thing I appreciate about the Pope are his monthly prayer intentions. According to his website, “the themes are not chosen lightly; they are the fruit of reflection and discernment, and they serve as an invitation to the faithful to pray and act in unity with the Church.
“Taken together, they form a kind of spiritual roadmap for the year ahead — one marked by compassion, hope, and a renewed sense of mission.”
January – For prayer with the Word of God
Millions of Catholic faithful followers of Jesus are encouraged to pray this in January: “Let us pray that praying with the Word of God be nourishment for our lives and a source of hope in our communities, helping us to build a more fraternal and missionary Church.”
As a retired Baptist pastor, I could easily ask the congregations I have served to pray the same prayer. May God grant us the ability to align our prayers with His revealed Word. May we be more united and join God in His mission and purpose in the world.
A King’s Prayer
Solomon wasn’t a religious leader; he was a king. Yet he led the prayer service at the dedication of the temple. We can only imagine how wonderful the world would be if governmental leaders publicly prayed instead of producing attack messages against their opponents.
The king assumed the customary posture of Hebrew prayer and worshiped God’s very Being.
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands to heaven.
He said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love with your servants who walk before you with all their heart” (1 Kings 8:22-23).
Solomon’s next statement always takes my breath away, as he declares the awesome nature of God.
“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built!” (1 Kings 8:27).
God exists outside of creation. He is the Creator, not part of the created order. Solomon was correct when he declared that the created universe cannot contain God.
Only because of God’s grace do humans have the opportunity to relate to Him. John makes two glorious points concerning God’s self-revelation to humanity.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).
God allows humans to experience His glory, but He cloaks His luminescence with grace to protect our lives. In His infinite mercy, God moderates the full radiance of His divine presence, knowing that finite human beings cannot withstand the unveiled brilliance of His holiness.
No one has ever seen God. It is the only Son, himself God, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known (John 1:18).
Solomon rightly said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness” (1 Kings 8:12), yet God is not content to remain a mysterious Lord of the Universe. His Son, Himself God, came to earth to reveal to the world God’s nature and desires.
God is not to be outdone in expressing grace. Though the universe cannot contain God, He enters our world and wants to be friends with humans.
No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing, but I have called you friends” (John 15:13-15).
Seven Prayer Requests
After Solomon approached God and appealed for God to hear his prayer, he asked God to grant seven petitions. These prayer requests are based on the blessings and cursings found in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28-30.
(1) Disputes and Oaths (vv. 31-32): When someone is accused of sinning against a neighbor and takes an oath at the temple altar, may God hear from heaven, judge righteously, condemn the guilty, and vindicate the innocent.
(2) Defeat by Enemies (vv. 33-34): When Israel is defeated because of their sin, but they repent and pray at the temple, the prayer is that God would hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and restore them to their land.
(3) Drought and Famine (vv. 35-36): When heaven is shut up with no rain because of Israel’s sin, and they pray and repent, may God hear from heaven, forgive their sin, teach them the right way, and send rain on the land.
(4) Plague, Disease, and Calamity (vv. 37-40): When famine, plague, blight, mildew, locusts, siege, or any suffering afflicts the land, the prayer is that God would hear from heaven, forgive, and respond to each person according to their heart, so they may fear Him
(5) Prayers of Foreigners (vv. 41-43): When foreigners come from distant lands because of God’s reputation and pray toward the temple, the request is for God to hear from heaven and answer their prayers, so all peoples may know and fear His name.
(6) Victory in Battle (vv. 44-45): When Israel goes to war and prays toward Jerusalem and the temple, Solomon asked that God would hear their prayer and plea from heaven and uphold their cause.
(7) Exile and Captivity (vv. 46-53): When Israel sins, is defeated, and taken captive to a foreign land, but they repent and pray toward their homeland, the prayer was that God would hear from heaven, maintain their cause, forgive their sins, and grant them compassion from their captors.
Reflections
Dallas Willard observed that humans are free to obey God or turn away from His guidance in disobedience. What humans are not free to choose is the consequences of their actions.
Solomon recognized the human tendency to refuse God’s directions. He prayed for God’s grace and mercy on wayward humans.
Jesus’ awesome offer of friendship included following His commands. When we fail to align our lives with Jesus’ priorities, we too can appeal for forgiveness based on God’s love and mercy.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 