Christian Reflection and Prayer

There's an amusing little story about a formerly
wealthy man who was down on his luck. One day,
the pastor of his church spotted him sitting on a
park bench, shabbily dressed and wearing a scruffy
beard. "What happened to you Bob," the preacher
asked. "You used to be rather well off."

Bob told of a hard luck story including several bad
investments and the loss of his business. "Go home,
" the pastor said, "and open your Bible at random,
stick your finger on the page and there will be God's
answer to your trouble."

Some months passed and again the preacher
spotted the man in the park -- only this time he was
dressed in an expensive suit, was wearing a fine
watch and had a fancy sports car parked nearby.
"Bob," said the Pastor, "I'm so glad to see you back
on your feet."

"Yes," said the man, "and I owe it all to you! You
see I opened my Bible just like you said, put my
finger down on the page and there was the answer --
 Chapter 11."

“When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD
your God for the good land he has given you.”—
Deuteronomy 8:10

The parents of a young man who was tragically killed in
military service were faithful congregants in a little church.
One day, they came to their pastor and told him that they
would like to make a significant contribution to the church
in memory of their son who died in battle. The pastor
commended them and said, “That’s a wonderful gesture
on your part. Do you mind if I share this with the
congregation?” The couple agreed, and so the next Sunday,
the pastor told the congregation about the generous
gift given in memory of the son.

On the way home from church, another couple was driving
down the highway when the husband said to his wife,
“Why don’t we give a gift because of our son?” His wife
looked at him baffled and replied, “But our son didn’t die
in any conflict! Our son is still alive!” Her husband explained,
“That’s exactly my point! That’s all the more reason we
ought to give thanks to God.”

Most religions of the world have the
concept of saying some type of grace before eating to
recognize that the food we have received is a generous gift
from God and that we are grateful. However, the main
practice regarding grace, the one that is mentioned in the
Bible, is saying grace after we have eaten and we are
satisfied. As Scripture says: “When you have eaten and
are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land
he has given you.”

The commandment to say grace after meals is also a
commandment to thank God after you are blessed in any
and all areas of your life.

We will always turn to God when we are troubled, however
it is precisely when things are going well that we have to
be no less diligent in turning to God – with our prayers,
praises, and gratitude.

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

((excerpts taken from Holy Land Moments)

Scripture:

"Cast your burden on the Lord and He shall
sustain you."   Psalm 55:22

Reflection:

Sometime ago I came across this often quoted prayer:
"God grant me the serenity to accept things I cannot
change, the courage to change the things I can, and
wisdom to know the difference."  This prayer expresses
an important thought:  one I think we should all pray
and live.

Some things in life just cannot be changed know
matter how much we try, and of course some things
can  Some things God has given to us as fixed realities
that we must accept.  And some things He would have
us not accept, but, with His help, work to change.
If we fail to do both of these, to accept some things
and work to change others, we will end up suffering with
worry, undeserved guilt, and frustration.

Someone, I'm not sure who, said, "Worry is the interest
paid on trouble before it comes due."  Instead, God would
have us learn to trust Him. "Cast your burden on the Lord
and He shall sustain you"

Prayer:

Oh Lord take all the suffering, worry, guilt and frustration
from me.  Lord I give you my burden because I know
you will sustain me.  AMEN