In the context of Hebrew prayer, the term "kavannah" (also spelled "kavanah") refers to the intention, focus, or mindfulness that an individual brings to their prayer experience. It is the inner devotion, concentration, and sincerity that one seeks to cultivate during prayer.
The Question
As you all know, I am a pastor in the Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod (hereafter the LCMS) and a Jewish believer in Jesus. What many may not know is that this dual reality often results in a lot of questions from people. Being a Jewish believer in Jesus is already a place of curiosity for people.
A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. “What food might this contain?” the mouse wondered. He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap...
As many of you know, I serve as a pastor and a front-line missionary in New Jersey. I have had the blessing of meeting with other Christians for regular prayer, evangelism, and outreach to our community...
The word amen is a liturgical response to hearing someone else recite a blessing or certain prayers. The Hebrew root of amen, aleph-mem-nun (נמא), is shared with the word emunah, meaning faith or belief. Reciting amen is thus an indication that the speaker affirms the truth of what was said, an indication reflected in its common English translation as “verily” or “truly”...
The Jewish calendar is really two calendars in one. The civil year and New Year begin in September, the month of Tishre. The religious year begins with the month of Nissan, March or April. The first month of the civil calendar falls on the seventh month of the religious calendar...
When I lived in Paris, I was in the 14th arrondissement (division) of the city. I lived approximately four city blocks from the Montparnasse cemetery. This cemetery is the second largest in Paris and consists of 47 acres. It almost had a park-like atmosphere and hundreds of people walked through the cemetery daily--including me...