Preview of Readings for Sunday October 21, 2007

Reading 1, Exodus 17:8-13  The Amaleks were a semi-nomadic people of southern Palestine and the Sinai peninsula who attacked the Israelites passing through their area on their way to the promised land. While the soldiers contend below, Moses prays. Emphasis is given here to Moses’ prayer posture. As long as his hands are raised to God with his staff in hand, the battle goes well. As he tires, Aaron and Hur support his arms…support his prayer. People take different postures in prayer, sometimes kneeling, standing with hands raised, sitting quietly, or lying face down. Prayer posture expresses an integration of one’s whole self in prayer. How long can you hold your hands up? How long can you maintain yourself in prayer? What postures help you express yourself to God in prayer? Do you ever find it easier to maintain yourself in prayer with the help of others as did Moses?

Reading II, 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2  Paul notes several practical ways in which scripture can be applied to our daily life. Although this is certainly true of the writings in the New Testament, Paul here refers to the sacred writings of the Jewish people included in the Septuagint or Greek listing of those writings accepted as inspired by God. In what ways do you find knowledge of the scriptures helpful or applicable to your daily life?

Luke 18:1-8  Remember from the first reading that tired Moses got trying to keep his arms up in prayer. The battle went on for a long time. Jesus tells his disciples to be persistent in prayer as well. Receiving the answer to our prayer (or figuring out what God’s will might be in the matter) often takes a lot of time, testing people’s endurance and persistence in prayer. The last sentence adds an interesting note of particular concern to early Christians…when will Jesus Christ return? Belief in Jesus’ imminent return motivated many a conversion and strengthened them to endure persecutions, a major theme of the book of Revelations. Would the delay lead result in people losing their edge, lapsing in prayer, and weakening in faith?