Red Sea Rule #4-- Pray!

I usually attempt to write about the Bible Study the night of or the day after. But this time, I'm a week later in writing about Rule #4--Pray!  This study was 9/12/12.  I've gone back to look over my notes.  Here's what I have.

I Thessalonians 5:17--"Pray without ceasing".

Rev. Amy Nutt showed a copy of the September/October 2012 Upper Room Devotional and asked if anybody had seen it and/or noticed the picture on the front cover.  It was a rendition of crossing the Red Sea.

 

 

 

The cover art was done by C. Winston Taylor.  Information from the Upper Room about this artist and this art piece is found here.

PraySing Kids came in to lead us in music on this evening.  They sang a wonderful tune of sounds: "Can You Hear the Music?"  It felt like being outside in nature listening to the birds and rain and frogs.  Well done!

The lesson on prayer covered several things.  The Lord's Prayer in the New Testament was mentioned as a model prayer.

We took some time to look back to see what brought the children of Israel to this point of crying out to the Lord.  Team-teaching time as Pastor Rowland led us through the history that brought them to this point, starting earlier in Exodus.

Some thoughts/questions from the study:

• How do you convince a people that prayer is worth it when they've cried out so long?
• Praying might cause more trouble.
• God's ultimate purpose is that He is known as Lord who listens, sees, and works out prayers.
• How do you convince a group of tired, weary people?

Pastor Rowland went through each of the 10 plagues, sharing what they were and the gods for which they were named.  God showed himself to be the God by conquering all the other gods.  The people are now set free.  But, then the arrive to the edge of the Red Sea and when they look up, they see they are trapped.  Thus, they cry out.

Tag team.  Amy is back teaching.  We looked at Psalm 5 and had the opportunity to write out our own cry.  What would be the cry of your heart?

We were reminded that there is strength and power as we gather together to pray.

Rev. Amy Nutt shared from the book, starting on page 46, 2nd paragraph: "God doesn't always say yes to all our requests, but He listens with unusual attentiveness when two or three gather in united prayer--and He responds in His own way and time with power and wisdom.
     The Israelites' prayer was not only united, but also unfeigned.  They had never been more earnest.  It wasn't a religious ritual.  They were panicked, and their outburst of prayer was real and raw." (46)

Praying earnestly.  In his book, Morgan cites 7 examples of Scripture in which folks are praying earnestly or in earnest to show its importance. (46-47)

Morgan writes: "When you face impossible odds, pray urgently, unfeignedly, unitedly.  And trust the great prayer-answering God who grants mercy and imparts grace to help in time of need." (48)

What about you?  What brings you to the point of crying out to God?  When you do, do you cry out in earnest?

There is something to learn from the children of Israel.

Blessings on the journey,

~Debra