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Dear Fellow Pray-er,
Prayer Diary for the period Thursday 27th November 2025 – Wednesday 14th January 2026.
We continue on with the readings from Isaiah at chapter 21. Isaiah lived through a pivotal period of his nation’s history, roughly 740 to 680 BC. In contrast to the New Testament prophets, Isaiah had little to say about an individual's relationship with God. His concern was more the relationship of Israel's relationship to God. In the first section of the book (Ch’s. 1-39), Isaiah insists that judgment is necessary before there can be peace.
"The Book of Isaiah can be called 'a Bible in miniature.' There are sixty-six chapters in Isaiah and sixty-six books in the Bible. The thirty-nine chapters of the first part of Isaiah may be compared to the Old Testament with its thirty-nine books, and both focus primarily on God's judgment of sin. The twenty-seven chapters of the second part may be seen to parallel the twenty-seven books of the New Testament, and both emphasize the grace of God."[Warren W. Wiersbe.]
After reading Isaiah 21:1-12 you might be interested in turning to Daniel 5 where Daniel records the downfall of Babylon as prophesied by Isaiah.
Isaiah 22:1 reads, "This is an oracle concerning the Valley of Vision: What is the matter with you now, that you have all gone up to the rooftops?”. The Valley of Vision is traditionally understood to refer to Jerusalem, a city set on a hill, yet described metaphorically as a valley. due to its spiritual condition and the impending judgment it faces. I wonder how God would describe our country.
As you read on - notice the reference to Jesus in chapter 28, “See, I lay a stone in Zion.” Later, in 30:15, I think we do well to note “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” Are we really able to grasp how great the gift of repentance is? That we have the opportunity to turn in repentance of all that we’ve got wrong, each and every day, and be washed clean? You might like to reflect on this and listen to a recording of “Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?” https://youtu.be/GvYaUk907JU?si=yBzRtxotfhGILfjk .
Looking forward to chapter 35 we read of the joy of the redeemed! This reminds me of a song written, I think in the early 70’s based on this chapter: https://youtu.be/bMUD4VfuQaI?si=_Dj8fHlVoQMPKUwU A very joyful worship song. We go on to read of King Hezekiah’s illness and the sun going back 10 steps on the stairway of Ahaz, his recovery, and Isaiah’s prophecy of a dire future for Jerusalem.
We now turn to Zephaniah – the great- great grandson of King Hezekiah. Two comments:
1. Ch 2:1-3 which starts “Gather together, gather together, O shameful nation….” which we could say of our nation and then
2. Ch 3:20 “At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home.” What a joy to hear - which in a way takes me back to Isaiah 35 and the joy of the redeemed! Have you been washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Now we turn to Malachi – who raises an issue…..at least for me (Ch 1:7). What is it that I bring to the Lord as an offering? Does what I bring and do as an offering give Him pleasure or, does what I do “as an offering” give me pleasure?
Ch 2:10 also challenged me: “10 Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our ancestors by being unfaithful to one another?” O how we as a Benefice need to love, support and encourage one another. When there is no service in our village church we could go to one of the other villages. Encourage those that are there. Thank God that they are there.
Next on to a friend who I can relate to - Jonah - someone who preferred a Mediterranean cruise rather than facing the Ninevites with a call to repentance. O my goodness and why shouldn’t I be cross because the Lord showed me, He was right all along! The Ninevites did fast and pray and repent of their evil ways!!
And so, we move into a New Year with Ruth, the great grandmother of King David and of course an ancestor of Jesus, as mentioned by Matthew. It is an account of love, faithfulness and hope for the future. We touch base with Jeremiah and then back to the beginning with Genesis which we will continue with next time. However, four words to remember: “In the beginning God!”
In the New Testament Matthew Ch 10 continues from last time with quite a challenge: 34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” And we can understand how true that is for so many Christians around the world whether in Iran or North Korea or even in this country, with street preachers arrested, a school chaplain sacked and reported to Prevent. How governments treat their citizens! And yet Jesus promises us rest (11:28). I do like the account of Jesus walking on water – which reminds me of the dictum: “if you want to walk on water you have to get out of the boat!”
On next to Colossians where Paul is writing to the church there, some 100 miles east of Ephesus. I find it interesting that he writes: “8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” A commentary I came across states: "The most dangerous heresies the church is called on to combat from time to time are not those which openly and blatantly assail the person of our Lord but rather those which subtly detract from His dignity while giving the appearance of honouring Him."
Finally, we turn back to Matthew, and I noticed that the request by the mother of James and John that they should sit either side of Jesus in his kingdom is immediately followed by two blind men asking Jesus to receive their sight. I not sure if James and John had really understood what Jesus was saying in the previous passage when he talked of his coming death and resurrection. Perhaps they needed their eyes to be opened too?
We do pray that through the run-up to Christmas all of our eyes may be open to the real reason for the season, and that we will all welcome the King into our hearts in a fresh new way and that He will guide us all into a New Year full of His hope and love.
With our blessings, for the remainder of this year and the next,
Peter & Sylvia