Lauren Sparks

The Sparks Notes

Praying God’s Word Wednesday #41: Isaiah 52:6

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<a class=Isaiah 52:6" width="300" height="300" />In the book of Isaiah, chapter 52, Isaiah prophesies of hope in Christ the Redeemer and the glory of His coming kingdom.  Israel, God’s chosen people, had been enslaved, abused and mistreated.  With their eyes on their circumstances, they questioned God, disappointed Him and oftentimes turned their backs on Him.  But in Isaiah 52:6, a time is foretold when the slaves will be redeemed and clothed as kings.

 

“Therefore My people shall know My name; therefore in that day I am the one who is speaking, ‘Here I am.'”  Isaiah 52:6 NASB

 

Our God has many names.  He is called Father, The Beginning and the End, The God Most High, The God Who Sees, God Almighty, The Creator, The Self-Existent One, The Lord our Provider, The Lord our Healer, and on and on.

 

Upon reading this verse, the simple words formed a very profound prayer for me. 

When praying for someone to know His name(s), we in essence ask for God to reveal every aspect of His nature to our loved one.

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And for that person to understand Him as such.  Let the enormity of that sink in for a moment.

 

In using the second part of the verse, when we ask for God to speak “Here I am”, we are also actually asking for the object of our intercession to know God well enough to recognize His voice in a sea of others.  And we also ask for God to draw near.  So much spiritual depth in one sentence of scripture.  So let’s pray.

 

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Replace the name and pronouns with the appropriate ones for the person (or yourself) that you are praying for.

 

Praying for you in this.  And don’t forget to share on social media or with a friend who could benefit.  It would mean so much to me.  And if you don’t want to miss a Praying God’s Word Wednesday, subscribe over on the right hand side of this page.

Lauren

 

 

Praying God’s Word Wednesday #40: Purim

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The celebration of purimToday marks the beginning of the Jewish celebration of Purim.  This holiday commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman.  The biblical book of Esther tells the entire story.

 

In my daily office (time with the Lord) I am currently studying the book of Esther.  I love this story.  I have read it before, but only recently came to know that people still celebrate it today.  And celebrate big!  Folks dress up in silly costumes, lavish money on the poor, send gifts of food to friends, eat a sumptuous meal and drink too much.  It is a time of gaity as Jewish people denounce plots to destroy their people and remember the resilience of their ancestors.

 

What a great time to pray one of my favorite scriptures from the OT book of Esther.  It is probably Esther’s most well known passage as well – especially if you parented during the Veggie Tales craze.  

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“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

Esther 4:14 NASB

 

Queen Esther’s cousin Haman was pleading with her to go before the king and inform him of the plot to kill the Jews while asking him to spare them (and herself – she was Jewish).  In his appeal he indicates that maybe she was made queen in order to save her people in this very moment.  None of my relatives have royal blood, but I still see parallels.  My prayer:

 

the celebration of purim

 

 

If you have never read the story of Esther for yourself, study it this week (it’s not long).  And while you’re there, look for ways the story points us to Jesus – even though it happened hundreds of years before His birth.  You will be blessed.

 

Replace the pronouns with the appropriate ones for the person (or yourself) that you are praying for.

 

Praying for you in this.  And don’t forget to share on social media or with a friend who could benefit.  It would mean so much to me.  And if you don’t want to miss a Praying God’s Word Wednesday, subscribe over on the right hand side of this page.

Lauren

 

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