Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
Glory, honor and blessing, praise and thanksgiving to God for his goodness and love; and to all of you for the faithful witness and service you give to God and others. Nancy and I bless the Lord and thank you for the many gifts of love and kindness expressed on the occasions of our Birthdays and for Pastor Appreciation and for including our ministry staff, retired Pastor’s/spouses in your appreciation – thank you!
November is a month of thanksgiving. Thanks and praise is offered for saints who have gone before us. We give thanks in the abundance of the goodness of life which God creates and blesses us with in this unique and wondrous time. November beckons us to slow down. Live and invest in others around us. We give thanks for new life welcomed, remember those who have left this world, health and healing, growth and learning, harvest and faithful living – so many reasons to thank God for his faithfulness and love. The good, holy and lasting things we hope to experience and share; are all gifts for living as people who seek from God life of His kingdom, on earth as it is in heaven. This is a life of request.
Psalm 72 A Psalm of Solomon prays for blessing and mercy:
Give the king thy justice, O God, and thy righteousness to the royal son! May he judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with justice! Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness! May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor! May he live while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations! May he be like rain that falls on mown grass, like showers that water the earth! In his days may righteousness flourish, and peace abound, till the moon be no more! May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth! May his foes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust! May the kings of Tarshish and of the Isles render him tribute, may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts! May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him! For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life; and precious is their blood in his sight. Long may he live, may gold of Sheba be given to him! May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all the day! May there be abundance of grain in the land; on the tops of the mountains may it wave; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may men blossom forth from the cities like the grass of the field! May his name endure for ever, his fame continue as long as the sun! May men bless themselves by him, all nations call him blessed! Psalm 72:1-17
Prayer for our leaders, or king as the context may be, seeking after God’s will and purpose for his people. Notice in the text the repeated emphasis on: righteousness, the deliberate care for people, defending the poor, needy and oppressed. God’s Word plainly tells us that we are blessed to be a way of blessing for others, especially, widows, orphans, and the poor. We can be praying for those in leadership; school boards, civic clubs, local, county, state government, Farm Bureau, Congress, and leadership of all nations of the world. However, we remember there is One God over all! The Psalmist concludes the Psalm: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things, Blessed be his glorious name for ever; may his glory fill the whole earth! Amen and Amen! Ps. 72:18-19 We need the mysterious and marvelous power of God in ministry! We have great privilege to go to our Father in prayer. May we adore God, confess our need for God’s saving mercy, express our thanksgiving, and make supplication – for God’s kingdom, others and our own needs in ministry. God our Heavenly Father knows what is necessary as we move forward in ministry; to seek and serve the least, lost, and lonely; offering them Jesus Christ! Pray for guidance, direction, wisdom, empowerment, and opportunities to carry on his harvest in unique and wonderful ways! Pray and practice the love and mercy of God! Blessing, honor, and praise, be to God over all!
In Jesus, Pastor Paul