Time to Pray
September 2, 2011
This week we entered the month of Elul, the month preceding our High Holy Days of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. This season is a time of reflection and introspection as we prepare for these Fall feasts. For us as a congregation we embrace this as a time where we can search our personal lives and ask Adonai to shine the light of His presence upon us to reveal any areas that we need to adjust, change, or let go of. As we have been praying for more of His presence and for revival to come to our Jewish people, this would be a good time to cry out like the young man we learned of when we studied the Hebrides Revival a few weeks ago. His heart cry to Adonai was, “Adonai, are my hands clean? Is my heart pure?” May that be the cry of each of our hearts. True revival can only come through a people who embrace repentance as a way of life. This season is about t’shuvah-repentance. Let us start with ourselves. Don’t withhold any area of your life from Adonai.
In addition, it is a time for us to pray for our Jewish people. During this season we want to focus on praying that their eyes would be opened to see the truth of Messiah. Let us pray that this would be the time when they cry out to Yeshua, “Baruch haba b’Shem Adonai” – “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the L-rd.”
We are also partnering with the MJAA/UMJC in using a prayer guide they have published for this season. This 30 day prayer guide gives specific areas to pray for ourselves and especially the nation of Yisrael. Below is a copy of the prayer guide which you can print out for yourself. The theme is “Shuvu Elai” – “Return to Me.” That is certainly the heart of HaShem towards us personally and towards our Jewish people. The Good News is that He promises to come to us when we turn our hearts and affections towards Him. (See Malachi 3.7)
We invite you to join us in this season of prayer. May your eyes be opened to the heart of HaShem for you. Let us unite our hearts in prayer for our people and for the nation of Yisrael.
Blessings,
Rabbi Carol
