common prayer

Opening Prayer: Teach us to pray, O Lord.  Show us what it means to have a common life of prayer; one that is practiced in community and not in isolation.  Help us to learn how to lift our voices to you as one.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 23:1-6

Journal: What does your common life of prayer look like?  What do you think God wants it to look like?  How do you enter into prayer with the rest of God’s people?

Reflection: When we go to prayer in the Psalms we find, often to our surprise, that we have been ushered to a pew in the vigorously rich worship of Israel.  When David organized Israel into a worshipping congregation, thirty-eight thousand Levites were assigned to provide the leadership and support required.  Prayer in Israel was not left up to individuals to do or not do as they more or less felt inclined.  This was a public works project of impressive dimensions.  It was neither private nor peripheral.  Common worship takes precedence over private devotions. (Answering God by Eugene Peterson)

Prayer

Closing Prayer: I will tell of your name to my brothers: in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: You who fear the Lord, praise him! (Psalm 22:22-23, ESV)