The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Psalm 122:1-9, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD.’
2 Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem,
3 Jerusalem, that is built as a city that is compact together;
4 To which the tribes go up, even the tribes of the LORD –an ordinance for Israel– to give
thanks to the name of the LORD.
5 For there thrones were set for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.
7 May peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.”
8 For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say, ’May peace be within you.’
9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good.”

Have you ever wondered why so few people enter Churches to worship? When we’re
there, it often seems as if the whole city were there. Yet, a quick body count tells a different story. Perhaps so few attend because they have lost the purpose for attending.

There are undoubtedly multiple “things” that people assess to be of greater importance. Yet, notwithstanding illness of one’s self or that of another, nothing should be considered
of “greater importance” than the solemn worship of our LORD.

The verses above say that we are to “give thanks to the name of the LORD.” How often
do we pause just to give thanks? In fact, just uttering a common “thanks” to another person, for anything is often slighted.

It follows that we are also to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” If you have been following
Israel’s war against Hamas, you know how desperately Israel needs our prayers. May we
be faithful in praying for Israel. The land for which they are currently fighting was given
to them by the LORD in centuries past. Read again verses 6 and 7, as they encourage us to pray for our own peace. Let us join faithfully as we seek for Jerusalem’s peace, too.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom