Seventy Disciples
Anonymous. Seventy Disciples, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56197 [retrieved June 30, 2022]. Original source: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Seventy_Disciples.jpg.
The root of the Hebrew word for compassion is most interesting. That root means womb. Originally, compassion referred to the deep love and empathy a mother has for her children and the accompanying love and empathy experienced by those who have shared the same womb. Jesus replaced the holiness code admonition, “You must be holy just as God is holy,” with the Kingdom code, “You must be compassionate just as your Heavenly Father is compassionate.” In Jesus’ day, much of society was determined by that holiness orientation, which, of course, led to impatience with those who were not “holy.” But where the emphasis on holiness excluded many, Jesus’ focus on compassion embraced all: The womb that envelops us is stronger and greater than our sin or even justifiable divine impatience.
Ron Zorn, “Compassion, Patience and the Womb of God”
Ron Zorn, “Compassion, Patience and the Womb of God”
Imaging the Word An Arts and Lectionary Resource, Volume 1
Spiritual Practices: Breath Prayer
Overview
Before Jesus sends out the disciples, he asks them to pray that God will send people out to work in his harvest field (to help bring people back to him). He then sends them out to be those laborers. Jesus is still looking for people to work in his harvest field today. He still needs us to pray for laborers, and he still needs us to be some of those laborers. That is what this breath prayer is about.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, send laborers into your field
Overview
Before Jesus sends out the disciples, he asks them to pray that God will send people out to work in his harvest field (to help bring people back to him). He then sends them out to be those laborers. Jesus is still looking for people to work in his harvest field today. He still needs us to pray for laborers, and he still needs us to be some of those laborers. That is what this breath prayer is about.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, send laborers into your field
Spiritual Practices: Breath Prayer
Overview
When the disciples returned from all of the towns and villages that Jesus had sent them to, they were excited at what they had experienced. The high point for them was that even the demons had to obey them in the name of Jesus. Jesus brought a different perspective, though. He told them that they should rejoice in their relationship with him (that their names are written in heaven). Notice the parallels with Jeremiah 9:23-24a: 'Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me."' Our joy should not be in what Jesus can do for us, in us, or through us, but rather in our relationship with him. That is what this breath prayer is about.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, I rejoice in you
Overview
When the disciples returned from all of the towns and villages that Jesus had sent them to, they were excited at what they had experienced. The high point for them was that even the demons had to obey them in the name of Jesus. Jesus brought a different perspective, though. He told them that they should rejoice in their relationship with him (that their names are written in heaven). Notice the parallels with Jeremiah 9:23-24a: 'Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me."' Our joy should not be in what Jesus can do for us, in us, or through us, but rather in our relationship with him. That is what this breath prayer is about.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, I rejoice in you