Post by Mark on May 12, 2008 6:06:43 GMT -8
Avodah
"Accept Your people, Adonai our God, and receive their prayer. Restore the Most Holy Service to Your House and accept in love the offerings and prayers of Israel. May it please You always to want to accept the service of Your people Israel. May our eyes see You return in Zion in mercy. Blessed are You, Adonai, who restores His presence in Zion."
In 1st Kings 8, the story is told of how Solomon, son of David the King, built the house of Adonai. When the priests began to offer service in that Holy Place, we are told that the glory of Adonai filled the Temple so that they couldn’t continue to worship and praise Him. They had to leave… He would take over from here.
Many religious faiths dwell completely on the stories of the past: remembering what has happened, glorying in days gone by. Our faith is not like that. Every memory, every story is a promise of things yet to come, of realities that our eyes cannot physically see.
When we open the pages of Scripture and remember the ancient words and stories of things long ago, we should consider them as a letter of invitation. It is the God of heaven and earth, the King of the universe and all eternity saying, "Let Me introduce Myself to you," and consider this vast collection of texts merely an introduction.
When we look toward Mount Zion and in prayer consider the greatness of the God whom we serve, we do not see what was nor what is so much as we look forward to what will be. "May our eyes see Your return to Zion in mercy."
The Temple does not stand today on the Mount. The clerics of Islam scoff at the Jews and Christians in triumph. Their god has prevailed and the monument of their victory stands blatantly in the way of any who might hope that Messiah should return to His chosen place. Still, the Jew prays toward Jerusalem in hope of the prayer of Solomon on that day, "…and hear the supplication of Your servant, and of Your people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place, and hear in heaven: and when You hear, forgive." (1st Kings 8:30).
We don’t need a monument to declare our victory. We have the consistent and faithful word of Adonai. We pray facing toward Zion, not because there is where our God resides; but it is because there is where He has promised to return. The Islamic faithful make pilgrimage and pray toward their holy places because of what once occurred. We pray because of what is yet to come. May He come quickly and in mercy to His Place in Jerusalem… even in our days!
"Accept Your people, Adonai our God, and receive their prayer. Restore the Most Holy Service to Your House and accept in love the offerings and prayers of Israel. May it please You always to want to accept the service of Your people Israel. May our eyes see You return in Zion in mercy. Blessed are You, Adonai, who restores His presence in Zion."
In 1st Kings 8, the story is told of how Solomon, son of David the King, built the house of Adonai. When the priests began to offer service in that Holy Place, we are told that the glory of Adonai filled the Temple so that they couldn’t continue to worship and praise Him. They had to leave… He would take over from here.
Many religious faiths dwell completely on the stories of the past: remembering what has happened, glorying in days gone by. Our faith is not like that. Every memory, every story is a promise of things yet to come, of realities that our eyes cannot physically see.
When we open the pages of Scripture and remember the ancient words and stories of things long ago, we should consider them as a letter of invitation. It is the God of heaven and earth, the King of the universe and all eternity saying, "Let Me introduce Myself to you," and consider this vast collection of texts merely an introduction.
When we look toward Mount Zion and in prayer consider the greatness of the God whom we serve, we do not see what was nor what is so much as we look forward to what will be. "May our eyes see Your return to Zion in mercy."
The Temple does not stand today on the Mount. The clerics of Islam scoff at the Jews and Christians in triumph. Their god has prevailed and the monument of their victory stands blatantly in the way of any who might hope that Messiah should return to His chosen place. Still, the Jew prays toward Jerusalem in hope of the prayer of Solomon on that day, "…and hear the supplication of Your servant, and of Your people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place, and hear in heaven: and when You hear, forgive." (1st Kings 8:30).
We don’t need a monument to declare our victory. We have the consistent and faithful word of Adonai. We pray facing toward Zion, not because there is where our God resides; but it is because there is where He has promised to return. The Islamic faithful make pilgrimage and pray toward their holy places because of what once occurred. We pray because of what is yet to come. May He come quickly and in mercy to His Place in Jerusalem… even in our days!
