How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you!

[From “Spiritual Practice” by Michael Wright, Jul/Aug 2023, Herald, p. 28]

Imagine your new house that is different than any home you have ever known. You go to plug in an appliance, and the plug shape is different, the electrical current is not the same as your foreign appliance. You plug in one too many devices, the circuit breaker snaps, and the appliance no longer works. Doors have doorknobs that do not turn. Keys look different to doors that have locks that run the opposite way. No carpet but tile, stone, or dirt is your floor. The bathroom is different, either with buckets of water to help you clean, or imagine additional unfamiliar hygienic devices in your bathroom that are “normal.”

Your house is much smaller than the one you have always enjoyed. Air conditioning is not readily available, and heat is rationed. You must hang out your clothes in the damp weather, as no dryer exists.

God of our homes, we are grateful for the comfort that we feel within our homes. We are grateful to have a roof overhead and to have much more than we might even need. Home is where we understand and are understood, where love flows unconditionally. We pray for those who are in a foreign house, one that is shelter but does not feel yet like home—a place that remains a challenge and mystery in a new world of challenges and mysteries. We pray that their new house will soon feel like a home. May we be kind neighbors who can help the immigrant feel at home, willing to explain how our homes work and welcoming them into our own. Amen.

Prayer Phrase

“Do not be afraid, for I am your God…” (Isaiah 41:10).

Voices of God

What is the voice of God saying to us? Do we hear the whispers of God’s longing for shalom; God’s dream of beauty and wholeness for all creation? Do we hear the “voice” of God calling to us in faces and eyes, in the sounds of suffering and joy, in scripture and sacred word, in tears and laughter, in silence and noise? Spend a few moments reflecting on when and how God’s voice speaks to you. When did you first feel called to join God in the pursuit of peace and justice? How does the call of shalom continue to come to you through the many “voices” of God?

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.