Christian Reflection and Prayer

Verse

 

Again I saw all the oppressions that are practiced
under the sun. Look, the tears of the oppressed—
with no one to comfort them! On the side of their
oppressors there was power—with no one to
comfort them. And I thought the dead, who have
already died, more fortunate than the living, who
are still alive; but better than both is the one who
has not yet been, and has not seen the evil deeds
that are done under the sun.
(Ecclesiastes 4:1-3)

 

Voice

 

How often have I lain beneath rain on a strange
roof, thinking of home.
(William Faulkner)

 

Prayer

 

Lord, help us to see the face of God in the faces
of all who suffer. May it move us to act. Amen.

 

(Verse & Voice from Sojourners. sojo.net)

Scripture:

 

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus,
‘And who is my neighbour?’30 In reply Jesus said: ‘A
man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when
he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his
clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half-dead.
31 A priest happened to be going down the same road,
and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other
side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place
and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a
Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was;
and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went
to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and
wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought
him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he
took out two denarii[a] and gave them to the innkeeper.
“Look after him,” he said, “and when I return, I will
 reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.”
36 ‘Which of these three do you think was a neighbor
to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?’ 37 The
expert in the law replied, ‘The one who had mercy on
him.’(NIV Luke 10:29-37)

 

A car turned directly in front of a young woman crossing
the street. She reflexively reached out her hands to avoid
walking into the followed the woman.  He grabbed her by
the back of her coat and punched her in the face,
knocking her to the ground.  He stood over her as if
trying to decide what to do, before walking back to his
 car.
     A young man rushed to help her up.  He waited while
she made a police report, and then offered her a ride
home.  In New York City people don't offer or accept
rides from strangers, but she was grateful for his
kindness and compassion, and she accepted the ride.
     Jesus does that for us.  Like the Samaritan, Jesus has
compassion for our broken and violated state.  He pours
oil on our wounds and carries us to places of safety. 
He invites us to go and do likewise.

 

Prayer:

 

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for caring for us.  Help us to
show mercy. In Your Name Amen

 

(Covenant Home Alter author Mary Trujillo)

 We don’t always get what we pray for. But we
always get what we need, and that makes all
the difference. When we pray for one thing and
we don’t get what we asked for, it feels as though
one of two things has happened. Either God didn’t
hear our prayers, or He has denied us a gift. But
neither is true. God hears every one of our prayers.
Sometimes He says “yes” and other times He
says “no.” But when God says “no,” it’s not
because He doesn’t want us to have good things.
When God says “no” to what we asked for, it’s
because He has something even greater to give us!

 

When your prayers seem to go unanswered, thank
God for your unanswered prayers because those
are often the greatest gifts of all.