Mental Prayer for August 23 - Jewish Leaders Plot Christ's Death

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God.

Grace I Ask: Lord Jesus Christ, show me what it means in my life to plot your death.

Mental Picture: A dark quiet night. I stand in the shadows next to the door of a large stone house, a small light in one room. I hear men coming. Hurrying, one by one they slip past me into the house. I follow them into the room. Caiphas­ - evil Caiphas and his cronies, the Scribes and Pharisees - they are whispering. I strain to hear. "One man should die... ruining our life... he must go... get rid of him... better off without him.." What is this? They want to kill whom? I hear: "Christ!" They will kill Christ!

My Personal Application: Do I try to get Christ out of my life? Is He in the way? I know I can kill His life in me by mortal sin. I don't want to go that far. But do I act as if there is some part of my life where He doesn't fit in? Is He taking all the fun out of my social life? Do I get rid of Him from that part of my life? How does He fit into my conversations? Do I throw Him out of that part of my life ?

I Speak to Christ: O Christ Jesus, my Lord, show me myself. Am I trying to get rid of you? There is something wrong with my life if you seem to spoil it for me. Show me how I am wrong. Lord, I don't want to be a Caiphas... or a petty Scribe... or a Pharisee. I know you fit into my life. You make my life a real life. But it's so easy to forget you. Help me to remember.

Thought for Today: "In Him we live and move and have our being."
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Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)