Post by Mark on May 18, 2008 5:56:04 GMT -8
Moadim
"We thank You, for it is You alone who is Adonai our God and the God of our fathers forever and ever. You are the Rock and Shield of our Salvation: You alone from generation to generation. We thank You and tell of Your praise, for our lives are in Your hands and our souls are trusting in You. Every day Your miracles are with us. Your wonders and favors are with us at all times: evening, morning and afternoon. O Good One, Your compassions are never exhausted and Your kindnesses are everlasting. We place our confidence in You.
"For all these things we bless and exalt Your Name our King forever and ever. And all the living shall confess and praise Your name in truth, O God of our salvation and our help for all eternity. Blessed are You, Adonai, the Good One is Your Name and to You it is right to give thanks."
The Hebrew term "Maodim" means "appointed times" and is understood to be the seven annual festivals of the Hebrew calendar, yet this is a daily prayer. In Greek thinking, concepts are unique and separately distinguishable from one another. In Hebrew, these same concepts rather fit neatly within another, creating a cohesive union between the two ideas. Our daily prayers, then, are as a miniature application of the appointed festivals. Our appointed festivals are a consummation or summary of all our daily experiences of worship throughout the year.
The effectual purpose and outcome of these times, both daily and annually, are the same: to recognize the greatness and compassion of our God toward us. His compassion and His salvation is evidenced in our daily lives and in our remembrance of what He has done for us in days long ago.
Each of the Moadim tells a distinct story and shares a unique aspect of Adonai’s relationship with us. Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur teach us His righteous judgment and mercy toward us. It is a time of recognizing and confessing sin. Sukkot, or Tabernacles, reminds us of the transitory nature of this life, that this world is not our home and these bodies are merely tabernacles for our souls. Passover represents our deliverance and the hope for and need of our Messiah. The Feast of Matzah reminds us of what we are to leave behind when we come to Him. Shavaot is the marriage feast at which we walk in righteousness and obedience to Him. All of these elements of our relationship with Adonai are present when we Amidah, or stand in prayer daily before Adonai. The Moadim are times for us to pause and reflect on these specific elements of our relationship with Him.
The Amidah is a precious element of our walk with Adonai. The daily remembrance and reflection in worship deepens and intensifies the sense of worship in our annual celebrations. It ceases to be simply a teaching or celebration of what once was or even what someday will be; but centers our focus of attention upon who He is.
"We thank You, for it is You alone who is Adonai our God and the God of our fathers forever and ever. You are the Rock and Shield of our Salvation: You alone from generation to generation. We thank You and tell of Your praise, for our lives are in Your hands and our souls are trusting in You. Every day Your miracles are with us. Your wonders and favors are with us at all times: evening, morning and afternoon. O Good One, Your compassions are never exhausted and Your kindnesses are everlasting. We place our confidence in You.
"For all these things we bless and exalt Your Name our King forever and ever. And all the living shall confess and praise Your name in truth, O God of our salvation and our help for all eternity. Blessed are You, Adonai, the Good One is Your Name and to You it is right to give thanks."
The Hebrew term "Maodim" means "appointed times" and is understood to be the seven annual festivals of the Hebrew calendar, yet this is a daily prayer. In Greek thinking, concepts are unique and separately distinguishable from one another. In Hebrew, these same concepts rather fit neatly within another, creating a cohesive union between the two ideas. Our daily prayers, then, are as a miniature application of the appointed festivals. Our appointed festivals are a consummation or summary of all our daily experiences of worship throughout the year.
The effectual purpose and outcome of these times, both daily and annually, are the same: to recognize the greatness and compassion of our God toward us. His compassion and His salvation is evidenced in our daily lives and in our remembrance of what He has done for us in days long ago.
Each of the Moadim tells a distinct story and shares a unique aspect of Adonai’s relationship with us. Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur teach us His righteous judgment and mercy toward us. It is a time of recognizing and confessing sin. Sukkot, or Tabernacles, reminds us of the transitory nature of this life, that this world is not our home and these bodies are merely tabernacles for our souls. Passover represents our deliverance and the hope for and need of our Messiah. The Feast of Matzah reminds us of what we are to leave behind when we come to Him. Shavaot is the marriage feast at which we walk in righteousness and obedience to Him. All of these elements of our relationship with Adonai are present when we Amidah, or stand in prayer daily before Adonai. The Moadim are times for us to pause and reflect on these specific elements of our relationship with Him.
The Amidah is a precious element of our walk with Adonai. The daily remembrance and reflection in worship deepens and intensifies the sense of worship in our annual celebrations. It ceases to be simply a teaching or celebration of what once was or even what someday will be; but centers our focus of attention upon who He is.
