Day 15, Let us raise our voices, united, in prayer ...

I used to have a hard time reading the Bible. I was like a traveler with a detailed map, but I had no compass, nor idea of the direction of true North. Lately, however, when I read the Bible it is as if a brilliant light has been turned on for me. The Holy Spirit has truly awakened in me, and is showing me the true beauty, richness, and meaning in the Bible ... or perhaps it is just that I have finally chosen to take -- and find -- the time to slow down and listen.

I now see the Bible as a rich tapestry of history, interwoven with a message that is as applicable today as it was in the times that it was originally written. And I feel a sense of some of the personalities and lives of the authors -- albeit inspired by God as they were -- behind the writings in the Bible.

I feel especially inspired by Paul and his letters to the Romans, Corinthians and Galatians. Paul's primary message: that we are all children of the same God, even if the details of our daily lives and particular ways of worship may differ slightly, is especially relevant today, in an age of so many diverse religions, dogmas, traditions and beliefs. There seems to be so much emphasis on our differences that we fail to realize a key point: that we all worship the same God; we just worship in slightly different ways. And those 'slightly different ways' are preferences of man, not God.

As a brilliant man once said,"God is in the details" [Albert Einstein]. So why not let us leave the details to God and stop wasting precious energy focusing on our differences. We accomplish very little that way. But on the other hand, just think what we could accomplish together! Lifting our voices in prayer, praise and petition to God our Heavenly Father.

The study text in my Bible says this at the introduction of the 'Epistle of Paul to the Romans':"The implication of Paul's exposition of justification by faith rather than by the law is that the divine plan of salvation works itself out on a broad theological plane to include the whole of humanity despite the differences in the content of the given religious system to which a human culture is heir."
And I couldn't agree more! Hence this prayer campaign.

I would like to close today's entry with the following text from the 'Epistle of Paul to the Romans':

Triumph of God's Mercy

Just as you were once disobedient to God and now have received mercy through their disobedience, so they have become disobedient -- since God wished to show you mercy -- that they too may receive mercy.

God has imprisoned all in disobedience that he might have mercy on all.

How deep are the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How inscrutable his judgements, how unsearchable his ways! For, who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has given him anything so as to deserve return? For from him and through him and for him all things are.To him be glory forever. Amen.[Romans 11:30-36]

Sacrifice of Body and Mind

AND NOW BROTHERS, I BEG YOU through the mercy of God to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may judge what is God's will, what is good, pleasing and perfect.[Romans 12:1-2]


May the Lord continue to Bless,Guide, and Inspire us, one and all, through the grace and gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

P.S. In watching news reports of late, I feel the need to emphasize prayer petitions for the basic physical needs of those living without (i.e., food, water, shelter, sanitation, electricity, medical care, and safety in their own homes and neighborhoods) -- and not just spiritual needs. Thank you once again for your prayers!