Bless the Lord though Prayer

Watchword: Daily Text

August 27, 2013

Psalm 103:19-22

The Psalmist is calling everyone and everything --- the angels --- the fighting angels--- the totality of creation to bless the Lord! Then, lest he forget, he reminds himself to bless the Lord!  What does it mean to bless the Lord? “To kneel before … to salute …to praise... to adore.”[1]  I think it means that God is pre-eminent[2], that He deserves the spotlight – the focus – that He is number one. It’s a matter of how we live our lives, weighing each decision – how will it matter to God – how will His holiness be impacted in the world by what I am about to do or say?

On August 27, 1727, the residents of Herrnhut were living in the Afterglow of the spiritual effects of the summer. Many had been converted to true faith in Christ. Many were walking anew in the Spirit.  They did not want this to stop. So the elders of the Community met with Count Zinzendorf and voiced their concern, “How can we not lose what God is doing among us? How can keep it going?”  So on this day in 1727, they instituted what came to be known as the hourly intercession.  According to Leslie Tarr, 24 men and 24 women vowed to spend an hour an day in intercessory prayer for the needs of Herrnhut and the needs of the world.  This effort lasted 100 years and would eventually launch a world-wide missionary endeavor unknown since the early church. [3]  Prayer moves the heart of God and can truly change the world.

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[1] Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for barak (Strong's 1288)". Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2013. 27 Aug 2013. < http:// www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?
Strongs=H1288&t=KJV >

[2] Colossians 1:18

[3]  A Prayer Meeting that Lasted 100 Years. Christian History Magazine. 1982. http://www.ctlibrary.com/ch/1982/issue1/118.html