My masseuse, Solomon, and pretty red folders

My other masseuse

Howdy…just a quick update before I go to bed.

My Masseuse

I have horrible posture…and I’m a nerd…so i hunch a lot over my computer.  The last couple of days my back and shoulder muscles have been locked up.  I got somebody to help take the edge off of it…but today I rediscovered our shower massager…I feel better.  I might ask Heini (my host father is a physical therapist) for one last back massage before I go.

It’s Official!

Today, I got a pretty red folder from Inlingua today with my attestation that says I’m at B2. Yay again! I’ll scan it when I get a chance. So barring a burning bush or an angry volcano. I’m off to Africa in June.

Solomon

I was reading 2 Chronicles 6 today

Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 For Solomon had made a bronze platform seven and a half feet  long, seven and a half feet  wide, and four and a half feet  high and put it in the court. He stood on it,  knelt down in front of the entire congregation of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven.  14 He said:

LORD God of Israel,

there is no God like You

in heaven or on earth,

keeping His gracious covenant

with Your servants who walk before You

with their whole heart.

15 You have kept what You promised

to Your servant, my father David.

You spoke directly ⌊to him⌋,

and You fulfilled ⌊Your promise⌋ by Your power,

as it is today.

16 Therefore, LORD God of Israel,

keep what You promised

to Your servant, my father David:

You will never fail to have a man

to sit before Me on the throne of Israel,

if only your sons guard their way to walk in My Law

as you have walked before Me.

17 Now, LORD God of Israel, please confirm

what You promised to Your servant David.

18 But will God indeed live on earth with man?

Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You,

much less this temple I have built.

19 Listen  to Your servant’s prayer and his petition,

LORD my God,

so that You may hear the cry and the prayer

that Your servant prays before You,

20 so that Your eyes watch over this temple

day and night,

toward the place where You said

You would put Your name;

and so that You may hear the prayer

Your servant prays toward this place.

21 Hear the petitions of Your servant

and Your people Israel,

which they pray toward this place.

May You hear in Your dwelling place in heaven.

May You hear and forgive.

22 If a man sins against his neighbor

and is forced to take an oath

and he comes to take an oath

before Your altar in this temple,

23 may You hear in heaven and act.

May You judge Your servants,

condemning the wicked by bringing

what he has done on his own head

and providing justice for the righteous

by rewarding him according to his righteousness.

24 If Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy,

because they have sinned against You,

and they return ⌊to You⌋ and praise Your name,

and they pray and plead for mercy

before You in this temple,

25 may You hear in heaven

and forgive the sin of Your people Israel.

May You restore them to the land

You gave them and their ancestors.

26 When the skies are shut and there is no rain

because they have sinned against You,

and they pray toward this place

and praise Your name,

and they turn from their sins

because You are afflicting   them,

27 may You hear in heaven

and forgive the sin of Your servants

and Your people Israel,

so that You may teach them the good way

they should walk in. May You send rain on Your land

that You gave Your people for an inheritance.

28 When there is famine on the earth,

when there is pestilence,

when there is blight, mildew, locust, or grasshopper,

when their enemies besiege them

in the region of their fortified cities,

⌊when there is⌋ any plague or illness,

29 whatever prayer or petition

anyone from your people Israel might have—

each man knowing his own affliction  and suffering,

and spreading out his hands toward this temple—

30 may You hear in heaven, Your dwelling place,

and may You forgive and repay the man

according to all his ways, since You know his heart,

for You alone know the human heart,

31 so that they may •fear You

and walk in Your ways

all the days they live on the land

You gave our ancestors.

32 Even for the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel

but has come from a distant land

because of Your great name

and Your mighty hand and outstretched arm:

when he comes and prays toward this temple,

33 may You hear in heaven in Your dwelling place,

and do all the foreigner asks You for.

Then all the peoples of the earth will know Your name,

to fear You as Your people Israel do

and know that this temple I have built

is called by Your name.

34 When Your people go out to fight against their enemies,

wherever You send them,

and they pray to You

in the direction of this city You have chosen

and the temple that I have built for Your name,

35 may You hear their prayer and petition in heaven

and uphold their cause.

36 When they sin against You—

for there is no one who does not sin —

and You are angry with them

and hand them over to the enemy,

and their captors deport them

to a distant or nearby country,

37 and when they come to their senses

in the land where they were deported

and repent and petition You in their captors’ land,

saying: “We have sinned and done wrong;

we have been wicked,”

38 and when they return to You with their whole mind and heart

in the land of their captivity where they were taken captive,

and when they pray in the direction of their land

that You gave their ancestors,

and the city You have chosen,

and toward the temple I have built for Your name,

39 may You hear in heaven, in Your dwelling place,

their prayer and petitions and uphold their cause.

May You forgive Your people

who sinned against You.

40 Now, my God,

please let Your eyes be open

and Your ears attentive

to the prayer of this place.

41 Now therefore:

Arise, LORD God, ⌊come⌋ to Your resting place,

You and the ark ⌊that shows⌋ Your strength.

May Your priests, LORD God, be clothed with salvation,

and may Your godly people rejoice in goodness.

42 LORD God, do not reject Your anointed one;

remember the loyalty of Your servant David.

The Holy Bible : HCSB. 2003 (2 Ch 6:12–42).

Now THAT is a prayer…I’m not just saying this because it’s long..that’s not always a strong point..

I’m gonna take a mement to break it apart..

14-15 Praises the glory of God

16 shows remembrance for the promises of God to the Israelites and his Family.

18 The presence of God..

19 Humility of the servant

22-25 Asking God to hold his people accountable to their sins and shortcomings.

26 Acknowledging God’s power.

28-31 God’s faithfulness in hard times

32 Prayer for the Gentiles…that’s pretty rare in the Old Testament….Solomon was truly wise.

34-35 asking for God’s blessing

26-29 asking for God’s grace and forgiveness

40-42 Closing thoughts…

I hope that one day, my prayers will be this complete.  Praises and requests are great…but I don’t spend as much time as I should considering the Glory of God. Anyways..Solomon’s scriptures say more than I could…so i suggest you read it again.

Demain (Tomorrow)

I’m not gonna be around tomorrow…taking a day trip across the country to visit St. Gallen…Andrea said something about pretty churches, a really old monastery and an ancient library.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

Ok…so that wasn’t as short as I thought, bedtime..