Rosh Hashanah Thoughts and Prayers

September 30, 2008

I’ve been learning a lot about Rosh Hashanah in the last few days. It’s the Jewish New Year but unlike our New Year it’s a time to inspect oneself and a time of repentance. What an appropriate thing to do especially during this time of financial crisis that our nation is in. We are truly a nation under judgment. Today in the Jewish tradition is a Day of Judgment.

The Lord took me to two scriptures this morning, Matthew 25:5 and Jeremiah 14. Matthew 25:5 is the story of the ten virgins verse 5 says, “The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.” This scripture is prophetic and refers to the second coming of Christ, he is the bridegroom and the virgins are the church.

As I thought about Rosh Hashanah and the Day of Judgment I was challenged to ask the Lord to wake me up where I have fallen asleep. I asked him to fill me (my lamp) with oil and forgive all my sins.

Then as I went to Jeremiah 14 and I read how the people were experiencing a severe drought and I thought again about the crisis our nation is enduring at this present time. In a sense, we are also experiencing a severe drought only in finances. In Jeremiah 14 the Lord is pretty ticked off at the people and why? Verse 10 reveals the answer…"This is what the Lord says about this people: “They greatly love to wander; they do not restrain their feet. So the Lord does not accept them; he will now remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins.”

Then God says an amazing thing to Jeremiah in verse 11, he tells Jeremiah “Do not pray for the well being of this people…” Oh my, that’s bad! These were God’s chosen people he was talking about! All because they went their own way and didn’t control where their feet took them!

Another interesting thing happens in verses 13-16 of chapter 14, Jeremiah tells God that the prophets are saying that famine and sword won’t come upon the people and God lets Jeremiah know in no uncertain terms that they are not speaking from him and that God didn’t send them or tell them to say such things.

As I was watching the news today, top economists were saying, “we just have to have this bailout thing happen” and that it would make everything easier. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t know if it’s right or wrong and I don’t feel either way about it because I believe that God has this whole thing planned out and I believe he will have his way, but I’ve also heard them say that it won’t affect the guy on the street and our money is safe if it is federally insured by the FDIC. Are they saying we won’t have to endure famine or have to deal with the sword in some way shape or form? You decide.

These are just interesting things to think about. I don’t know why God brought this to my attention as I was praying today but my inclination is to repent for the sins of our nation and ask God to cleanse me from my own sin. To ask God for mercy and to fill me with his Spirit (oil) to be ready for whatever is coming to our nation.

Wake us up, God! I pray that the Lord will forgive his people for allowing their feet to go their own way, running to idols and sin rather than to God’s open arms of love. Man, I’m guilty! What a crazy thing we do! God forgive me, forgive us Lord!