Week of Prayer 5 - The Praetorium

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. (Matthew 27:27-29) 

In a world where most of the buildings were small houses the great public buildings of the Romans must have been daunting and intimidating with their white stones soaring many feet into the sky, dominating the streets all around them,  visible for miles.  They were the very opposite of the loving home provided by Mary and Martha. Where Mary and Martha provided food and and the gentle company of friends, a whole cohort of Roman soldiers only provided sickening costumes and insults. Like the Romans themselves, these buildings were cold, hard, brutal and a constant reminder that the city was under foreign occupation.

Pause for thought

What am I intimidated by?
When I think about the invading Roman armies what world situations spring to mind?
Pray for those world situations and for all those who have been unfairly imprisoned.