Throughout His lifetime, Yeshua worshiped in the Temple in Jerusalem and consistently attended the synagogues where He participated in the Torah readings, giving His own teachings on Scripture. Like Him, the first-century Jewish Believers in Yeshua also maintained their faith in an authentically Jewish context.
As is traditional, Sephardic Jews will recite selichot for the entire month of Elul in anticipation of the Jewish High Holy Days also known as the Days of Awe, which starts next month on Rosh HaShanah and ends ten days later at Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).
This is the month in which we are, in a sense, welcomed back as being children of God; we are experiencing a rendezvous with the Lord of the Universe. To prepare for this, we need to examine ourselves closely. Still we have the certainty that God will forgive us, no matter what our sins might be.
This is a time to pause and consider our ways, to set goals for personal improvement for the coming year. In fact, the Hebrew root of the word shofar (שופר) is the word shaper (שפר) which means to improve.
Sounding the shofar during this month reminds us to look within ourselves to discover what is in need of development, what needs to be renewed, and what needs to be let go of. We can evaluate our achievements and consider where we may have missed the mark.
We do this because we want to start the New Year fresh and because we know that holding grudges only hurts ourselves. As the year draws to a close, now is the time to rid ourselves of resentments so we can face the New Year with a clean heart.
As Believers, we know that the throne of God is always accessible to us through Yeshua. Yet, we sometimes need a structured time to make right what has gone wrong. So let us take full advantage of these 40 days of favor, sincerely repenting of our sins against others and against God, asking for His mercy as we extend mercy to those who have sinned against us.
As we take these steps to nullify our debts against others and contemplate our own character, now is a good time to draw closer to God and prepare for a new beginning through greater dedication to Him and His word, as well as through contemplation of His manifold mercies.
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I first found these verses to pray when my niece, Wesley, was born. She was the first baby of the family and we all were overwhelmed with love. I left soon after she was born to go do mission work in Costa Rica. In the months that I lived in Costa Rica, I missed my family so very much, especially my new niece Wesley. However, I knew enough about prayer to know that redeeming the time away through prayer was the most positive thing I could do when I missed them. So, every day as I rode the public bus to work, I prayed these prayers for Wesley. Now, 31 years later, I see how God abundantly answered my prayers for her, as well as the prayers of her parents. She is a beautiful, godly woman, who has indeed grown in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus.
It was said of Jesus, as well as of the prophet Samuel when he was a boy, that he grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. That is what I want for my kids, too. This prayer is the perfect combination. Favor with man alone is shallow. It can become a popularity contest. Favor with God and man means influence in godliness. It means friendships which glorify God, not those which rebel against him.
Sara W. Berry has been teaching for over 20 years. This experience began at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education, as well as numerous education and leadership awards. Sara has an strong love of discipleship and an equally intense passion for missions. She is married to Dr. Mont Berry and her teaching experience continues each day as she is rearing her seven children: Katie, Ellie, Joseph, Troy, Joshua, Sally, and Charlie.
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