“Blessed are you, Lord, our God, ruler of the universe who has not created me a woman.” ~ a traditional Jewish morning prayer.
🙏🏻 Heavenly Father, You continue to leave me awestruck. From the controversy of the traditional Jewish prayers to the revelation of Your will in human history, I recommit myself to Your plans. As Your Son, Our Lord, Jesus, taught us to pray… Thy will be done, here on earth… it is in His Name we pray. Amen.
Sometimes I read Scripture and completely miss the wow-factor. At today’s church service, Pastor Seth shared some of the history behind the traditional Jewish morning prayers. These were not part of the Old Testament, but found in the Talmud. i.e. – the traditional Jewish interpretation of God’s law.
The morning blessings of Jewish men often gave thanks to God for not being born a woman… or a slave… or a Gentile.
Now watch God work.
We’ve studied ACTS before, but let’s revisit for a minute – Jesus ascends to Heaven, the Holy Spirit descends on Pentecost, Peter begins to preach and 3,000 Jews are convinced that Jesus is the promised Messiah.
The church is born, but there is opposition in Jerusalem as the church begins to grow. Stephen is stoned to death and the believers are scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Saul, a Jewish Pharisee, begins a reign of persecution against the followers of Christ in Jerusalem and wants to take his terror to the other regions. Instead, he is struck blind on his way to Damascus by none other than the risen Lord Jesus. Saul is now the chosen apostle to the Gentiles – he begins to use his Roman name, Paul.
Peter has a vision of clean/unclean animals… a gentile centurion named Cornelius is visited by an angel of God to call on Peter… their encounter reveals that the gift of God’s grace, evidenced by the Holy Spirit, was extended to Gentiles, too.
In Chapter 11, we read of the Church in Antioch – one of the first gathering of Greek believers where disciples were first called ‘Christians.’ The next chapters reveal the growth of the church as Paul completes his first missionary journey around the areas of Judea and Samaria.
And that brings us to the Council at Jerusalem in chapter 15 – where church leadership has to resolve the first set of issues. 🤦🏻♀️ Old habits die hard and although the conversion of Gentile believers was welcomed, some felt that they needed to be more ‘Jewish’. i.e., circumcision and keepers of the law of Moses. A written decision is issued for the Gentiles – no ‘Jewish’ requirements, but avoid some of their own pagan rituals involving food sacrificed to idols and sexual immorality.
And now we get to Chapter 16. Paul is traveling to new cities and he plans to go east to Bithynia, but the Spirit stops him. Instead, Paul has a vision of a man of Macedonia asking for help. Paul and his companions – now including Silas, Timothy, and Luke, head west to the Macedonian region where they stay in Philippi – a Roman colony.
Don’t miss this.
Jesus told His disciples to preach the Good News of His Kingdom – to Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria, and to all the ends of the earth. Well, here we are.
Paul’s plans to go east are redirected to God’s plan to go west and we see the door open to the preaching of the Gospel in Europe – Paul heads out to Macedonia based on that vision of a man asking for help. He doesn’t find a synagogue in the area, where he usually begins his preaching – instead he meets Lydia – a woman – the first convert in Philippi… in Europe.
Next, we see a slave girl being delivered by Paul from an evil spirit that possessed her. This lands Paul and Silas in prison… where they sing songs to God… an earthquake blows open the prison doors and their chains break loose… Do Paul and Silas escape? Nope. They stay. They know God’s plan has them there for a reason – this is great faith indeed.
The jailer is about to kill himself, for he assumes the men have escaped and he will be held accountable for them. Paul calls out to him saying, “Don’t harm yourself. We are all here.” The jailer, a Gentile, is next to receive salvation.
I just love this perspective….💖
Now Lydia can pray… Blessed are you, Lord, our God, ruler of the universe who created me a woman… and now calls me His own.
A redeemed girl prays… Blessed are you, Lord, our God, ruler of the universe who created me a slave… and now calls me His own.
The jailer now prays… Blessed are you, Lord, our God, ruler of the universe who created me a Gentile… and now calls me His own.
Isaiah 43:18-19 – Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 16:9 – In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.
It’s one thing to read scripture, but it’s a whole new level of life to watch God reveal Himself in human history – faithful to those very same scriptures.
🙏🏻 Heavenly Father – Thank You for bringing teachers and preachers into my life that can share Your wisdom with me. I am in awe of the love and the beauty that You extend to all who will receive Your goodness. I am thankful that Your thoughts and Your ways are not like mine, but so much higher than mine. (Isaiah 55:8-9) Thank You for calling me Your Own. I love You and I love this intricate, intimate, delicate dance – that You call abundant life. You’ve drawn me into this and I am forever grateful.
I am a daughter of a great king.
He is my father and my God.
The world may praise me or criticize me. It matters not.
He is with me, always at my side, guiding and protecting me.
I do not fear because I am His.
YES! THIS! Truly, my very favorite writing of yours on God’s grace and the human perspective (or lack of it).