Page 50 - Living Light 90

PRAYER FOR TODAY
48
Friday October 24 - Potential realized “Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his
descendants will become a group of nations.” Genesis 48:19
Many years ago I took the funeral of a young man I’d known in prison. At the service I met his younger brother, who was not a believer and a real ‘jack-the-lad’, completely full of himself! Fast forward seven years and he called me out of the blue, wanting to meet for a ‘God-talk’. We met and he bombarded me with questions. Fast forward another four years and he’s studying theology, and is a youth pastor and worship leader in his local church!
When Jacob blessed his grandsons, his natural sight was failing, but he saw a great future for them both, and that Ephraim would lead Israel. Fast forward about five hundred years and Joshua, an Ephraimite, led the people of Israel into the Promised Land. Ephraim’s allocated territory was the central hill country of Canaan, and also where the Tabernacle found its resting place in Shiloh. Ephraim remained the dominant tribe until the time of David, despite waxing and waning in righteousness as all the tribes did. After Israel’s division, Ephraimite Jeroboam became the Northern Kingdom’s first king, with the land being called ‘Israel’ and ‘Ephraim’ interchangeably. What is my point? Let us see with spiritual eyes the potential of the next generation, or we may find ourselves like Nathaniel, who was initially sceptical about Jesus, asking “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46).
Father, give me eyes to see and a heart to pray for the generations now stepping into the gap as your church. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Saturday October 25 - Be a blessing
When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed. Genesis 48:2
Every Easter, I force myself to watch ‘The Passion of the Christ’, the Mel Gibson film depicting the events of Good Friday. Some question the historicity of how it’s done, but I find the flogging scene particularly difficult. There is however one thing that strengthens me to watch it, which is that whilst Jesus awaits the start of his flogging, he prays quietly: “Father, I am ready.”
Perhaps as a church leader, parent, grandparent, youth worker or church volunteer, you are weary or cannot see how best to enable the next generation to ‘take up the baton’ for the kingdom of God. It’s not just that we don’t know what to do; we feel ill-equipped, even powerless. Genesis 48:2 says that when Joseph arrived with his sons, ‘Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed.’ He determined that he was going to give his family the blessing they needed.
Jesus determined to give us the salvation we needed. You too can rally yourself, and be determined in the knowledge that what you are doing is creating a blessed future for God’s church. If you unlock the door, mow the grass, serve at the altar, preach, drive the Sunday school bus, meet and greet, or just smile and say hello when you meet young people, you are part of God’s generational transition.
Father, help me to run the race set before me, to make my contribution and hand over the church in the knowledge that you are working. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY