Here is another prayer of John Baillie’s to pray and reflect on as we begin a new week: “O ETERNAL God, although I cannot see you with my eyes or touch you with my hands, give me today a clear conviction of your reality and power. Do not let me go into my work believing only in the world of sense and time, but give me grace to understand that the world I cannot see or touch is the most real world of all. My life today will be lived in time, but it will involve eternal issues. The needs of my body will shout out, but it is for the needs of my soul that I must care the most. My business will be with material things, but let me be aware of spiritual things behind them. Let me always keep in mind that the things that matter are not money or possessions, not houses or property, not bodily comforts or pleasures, but truth and honor and gentleness and helpfulness and a pure love of you.
Read MoreHere is another prayer of John Baillie’s to finish the week: “O MERCIFUL heart of God, in true penitence and remorse I open my heart to you now. Let me keep nothing hidden from you while I pray. The truth about myself is humbling, but give me courage to speak it out in your presence. What I was not too ashamed to commit, may I not be too ashamed to confess. In your wisdom use this pain of confession as a way of making me hate the sins confessed.
Read More“I wait for your salvation, O LORD.” (Gen. 49:18) Before Jacob moves on to his prayer for Gad, he takes a short break and prays, “I wait for your salvation, O LORD.” As many commentators suggest, this may show how old and feeble Jacob was when he uttered these prayers. We read at the end of this chapter, “When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people” (v. 33).
Read More“Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. 17 Dan shall be a serpent in the way, a viper by the path, that bites the horse's heels so that his rider falls backward. 18 I wait for your salvation, O LORD.” (Gen. 49:16-18)
Read More“Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea; he shall become a haven for ships, and his border shall be at Sidon. Issachar is a strong donkey, crouching between the sheepfolds. 15 He saw that a resting place was good, and that the land was pleasant, so he bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant at forced labor” (Gen. 49:13-15) In his prayer, Jacob likens Issachar to “a strong donkey.” We will see that this analogy was chosen for his strength and humble condition.
Read MoreHere is another prayer of John Baillie’s to begin a new week: “LORD, you are everywhere, and it is beneath your eye that all lives are lived; please grant that all my purposes and actions today may be honorable and gracious.
Read MoreHere is another evening prayer of John Baillie’s to close out this week: “O MERCIFUL Father, you look on the weaknesses of your human children more in pity than in anger, and more in love than in pity. Help me now in your holy presence to examine the secrets of my heart.
Read MoreJacob’s prayer for Zebulun is mainly concerned with his dwelling place: “Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea; he shall become a haven for ships, and his border shall be at Sidon.”
Read MoreHere, we have Jacob’s prayers for Zebulun and Issachar. It seems that Jacob is not going by the birth order of his sons, which would have Dan and Naphtali come next, whom Rachel’s maid Bilhah had borne to Jacob. Also, Issachar was born before Zebulun even though Jacob prays for Zebulun first. And these two were born to Jacob by Leah, too, along with the first four sons. So, Jacob seems to be grouping his sons according to their mothers rather than by their birth order.
Read More“Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons shall bow down before you. 9 Judah is a lion's cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him? 10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. 11 Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey's colt to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes. 12 His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.” (Gen. 49:8-12)
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