Post by Mark on Apr 18, 2008 6:11:19 GMT -8
One of the things that I'm working on in our community is trying to help those coming from the gentile Church see the beauty and value of the Messianic Liturgy, as taken out of the Jewish Synagogue. I've been writing a paper each week on different prayers and thought some of you might be interested in what I've shared thus far. I'll start posting them in this area, as I go along, hoping that these generate some response of praise to Adonai our God, or stimulate questions on the Judaic perspective of our faith.
Tzadikim
"Upon the righteous, upon the godly, upon the elders of Your people of the House of Israel, upon the remnant of their scholars, upon the righteous converts, and upon ourselves, may Your compassion arise, Adonai our God. Give good reward to all who sincerely have faith in Your name. Include us with them forever and let us not be ashamed: for we put our trust in You. Blessed are You, Adonai, the stronghold and assurance of the righteous."
"And God bless us, every one." We easily simplify the text of this prayer into the innocence of "tiny Tim" in Dickens’ Christmas Carol; but that’s not what this is saying. There is a necessary distinguishing, a conscious leaving out of some in recognizing specific people groups. We ask for Adonai’s compassion upon the righteous, the elders of Israel, their teachers and upon those gentiles who have chosen to follow Adonai… and me, too.
The prayer for the righteous is not a prayer for myself because I am righteous; but a prayer desiring to be named among them; though I know that I don’t qualify. It is reasonable that His compassion would extend to the righteous and to the leaders and teachers of His chosen people. It is reasonable that His compassion would extend to those who have chosen to come in and stand among His people. It is not reasonable that his grace should extend to me. In distinguishing myself in addition from those listed, I am acknowledging that I am not qualified to stand as one of them. Therefore, "God, while you are blessing those who are worthy of Your blessing, bless me too."
Proverbs 13:20 declares that "he who walks among the wise will be wise." It is reasonable to assert that those who seek to be named among the righteous will grow in righteousness. The prayer of tzadikim is not to justify ourselves before Adonai as righteous, nor even to assert the righteousness of any one individual; but to recognize that, when Adonai is preparing His banquet feast, "Lord, even though I don’t necessarily fit in, put me at their table."
We desire to be righteous and to be named among the righteous. May our prayer for the righteous draw us closer in to fit that description, regardless of where we are now. May each time we pray for the righteous make us more like them. May we have opportunities to walk among them in this life, recognize and be changed by them. May we stand among them, even as one of them, in the life to come. May we draw others along with us in this journey.
Tzadikim
"Upon the righteous, upon the godly, upon the elders of Your people of the House of Israel, upon the remnant of their scholars, upon the righteous converts, and upon ourselves, may Your compassion arise, Adonai our God. Give good reward to all who sincerely have faith in Your name. Include us with them forever and let us not be ashamed: for we put our trust in You. Blessed are You, Adonai, the stronghold and assurance of the righteous."
"And God bless us, every one." We easily simplify the text of this prayer into the innocence of "tiny Tim" in Dickens’ Christmas Carol; but that’s not what this is saying. There is a necessary distinguishing, a conscious leaving out of some in recognizing specific people groups. We ask for Adonai’s compassion upon the righteous, the elders of Israel, their teachers and upon those gentiles who have chosen to follow Adonai… and me, too.
The prayer for the righteous is not a prayer for myself because I am righteous; but a prayer desiring to be named among them; though I know that I don’t qualify. It is reasonable that His compassion would extend to the righteous and to the leaders and teachers of His chosen people. It is reasonable that His compassion would extend to those who have chosen to come in and stand among His people. It is not reasonable that his grace should extend to me. In distinguishing myself in addition from those listed, I am acknowledging that I am not qualified to stand as one of them. Therefore, "God, while you are blessing those who are worthy of Your blessing, bless me too."
Proverbs 13:20 declares that "he who walks among the wise will be wise." It is reasonable to assert that those who seek to be named among the righteous will grow in righteousness. The prayer of tzadikim is not to justify ourselves before Adonai as righteous, nor even to assert the righteousness of any one individual; but to recognize that, when Adonai is preparing His banquet feast, "Lord, even though I don’t necessarily fit in, put me at their table."
We desire to be righteous and to be named among the righteous. May our prayer for the righteous draw us closer in to fit that description, regardless of where we are now. May each time we pray for the righteous make us more like them. May we have opportunities to walk among them in this life, recognize and be changed by them. May we stand among them, even as one of them, in the life to come. May we draw others along with us in this journey.
