Christian Reflection and Prayer

Psalm 42

Why, my soul, are you downcast?
      Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
      for I will yet praise him,
      my Savior and my God. — Psalm 42:11

PLEASE REMEMBER

No matter what you may be facing today, be it a difficult
conversation with a family member, a serious medical
issue, or a gloomy financial outlook, we can pray like the
king of Judah did. Let’s say, “God, we have no power to
do it on our own. We do not know what to do, but our
eyes are on you.” Even when our faith falters, let us
return to this prayer and finish with faith.

"GOD, WE HAVE NO POWER TO DO IT ON OUR
OWN.  WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO, BUT OUR
EYES ARE ON YOU!"

Scripture:

Inscribed in the Book of Life

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses
against you that I have set before you life and death,
blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you
and your children may live. — Deuteronomy 30:19


According to Jewish tradition, every night as we sleep,
our souls ascend to Heaven. There, we record what we
did that day and we sign our signature. We quite literally
inscribe ourselves in the Book of Life, or God forbid, for
the other.

Let’s live our lives in a way that we can be sure to be
inscribed for life. Let us write that we live each day with
faith and devotion. Let us write that we do our best to
make our lives count. Let us write that we choose God,
choose good – and that we most certainly choose life!

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

CRADLE-TO-PRISON

Congregations are working alongside communities, wrapping
around families, and pursuing restorative justice. As Christians
who understand the divine character of grace, we have to
become people of second chances. While I understand the
impulse towards zero-tolerance policies, this approach is
especially problematic for kids of color; it has a direct impact
on these kids getting involved with the prison system later in life.

There’s an example of a church here in Washington, D.C., that
has opened their doors and set up education, counseling, and
a safe space for any child that has been suspended from school.
Instead of spending a week at home, or worse, getting into even
more trouble out on the streets, this church welcomes them with
open arms. Rather than doubling down on shame and punishment,
the congregation views these suspensions as teachable moments,
asking, "What can we do for kids who we know have the strong
potential to get caught up in a system that’s going to have terrible,
life-altering consequences?"

There are more than 300,000 churches across the United States
and 40,000 high-poverty public schools. That's a ratio 6 to 1. How
amazing would it be if every church in America was proactively
involved in wrapping around the kids in these struggling schools
and advocating for polices that will ensure more of our kids get
through high school, receive a quality education, have expanded
options in life, and discover their God-given purpose?

(Nicole Baker Fulgham is president and founder of The
Expectations Project)