Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Mental Prayer for August 24-Christ and the Pharisees-Meekness

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God.

Grace I Ask: To understand your meekness and to see how I can imitate it in my own life.

Mental Picture (cf. Matt. 23:1-36): Holy Week... Jesus teaching in the temple. At the edge of the crowd Pharisees are whispering: "He is a drunkard... servant of the devil... a madman... a blasphemer... a sinner." For three years Christ has endured this, patiently showing them their errors, giving them every chance to reform. Now He stiffens with anger: "Woe to you, Pharisees, hypocrites; you shut heaven in men's faces... steal from widows... no justice, mercy, honor... whitened sepulchres, full of corruption... serpents, vipers." Their faces fill with fear; they slink away.

My Personal Application: It is easy to play the coward. And it doesn't take much strength to lose my temper. But the middle road - to know when to be angry without losing my temper; to know when to be quiet - that is very difficult. Am I too easy-going? following the bad example of others, watching them mislead others? Is my motto: mind my own business at all times; by silence to seem to give approval to stealing, bad language, etc.? Or am I rash in my following of Christ? - too impatient to figure out the right opportunity, the right thing to say and do. If Christ had acted as I do, would He not have driven away Zaccheus, Peter, every sinner? Am I quick-tempered, flying off the handle? How often did Christ get angry? Why did He when He did?

I Speak to God: Help me to learn how to practice meekness... more and more each day. Help me never again to think foolishly that it is weakness. It is, rather, the greatest strength.

Thought for Today: "Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto thine."
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Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)

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