Now some church use that term to describe the opening prayer in their worship service, but we also see that term sometimes used at the beginning of a formal memorial or special ceremony, a meeting of a Christian organization, and interestingly enough at the beginning of many high school and college graduation commencement exercises. It is interesting that what is many times practiced today and is called an invocation … is not by definition an invocation.
You see what I have observed that is practiced today by many organizations (and groups) is that they will begin their meeting or ceremony with what is called an invocation. But in practice the Invocation will be a simple reading of positive thought or often times a “celebration of human spirit.” But by definition an invocation is the practice of “calling or invoking God’s intervention.” In fact an invocation by definition is a “calling upon a higher power.”
In the book of Lamentations, Jeremiah calls out on behalf of Jerusalem for God to see and intervene. Jeremiah wrote describing Jerusalem: "She defiled herself with immorality and gave no thought to her future. Now she lies in the gutter with no one to lift her out. “LORD, see my misery,” she cries. … “O LORD, look,” she mourns, “and see how I am despised.” … “LORD, see my anguish! My heart is broken and my soul despairs, for I have rebelled against you. In the streets the sword kills, and at home there is only death.” Lamentations 1:9, 11, 20 NLT
I am convinced the first step for us to begin a relationship with God and healing for our hearts and lives is for us to recognize that we do not have the answer within, but that we must learn to call out (or invoke) a higher power in our lives and that is the LORD!
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