Prayer for Outcasts — Guided Prayer

  • March 8, 2022
  • /
  • John Tillman

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 27.8
8 Like a bird that flees its nest 
is anyone who flees from home.

Leviticus 19.34
34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

Image: Today’s image comes from the painting, War Refugees in the Snow by Alfred Ost, painted in 1914.

Reflection: Prayer for Outcasts — Guided Prayer
By John Tillman

There have been many crises in history that have caused waves of migrants, refugees, and immigrants to flee their homes.

Some of the largest refugee movements in history happened during World War II when from 1939 to 1959 approximately 20 million people fled Europe. Our current decade, however, has nearly matched that 20-year stretch. Approximately 17.8 million refugees have fled Ukraine, Myanmar, Venezuela, Syria, South Sudan, and Libya, since 2011.

Refugee crises will continue to grow as nations and prideful leaders continue to choose violence.

Welcoming the stranger is a consistent command throughout the Bible. One must work hard not to pick up on it, but some do go out of their way to avoid it. It may be normative in the world of politics to stigmatize, persecute, and ghettoize foreigners, but it is antithetical to biblical living.

Welcoming the stranger is counter-cultural, not only today but in its original context. The evil treatment Israel received in Egypt is the experience God holds up as the source of his commands to welcome and treat well strangers and foreigners. “As Egypt was, you must not be. As you were treated, you must never allow others to be treated. Do unto others as you would wish they had done to your ancestors.” (Exodus 22.21; Leviticus 19.33-34; Deuteronomy 10.18-19)

In reflection on the continuation of the Ukrainian war, the widening flow of refugees, and a sobering awareness that this conflict has the potential to encompass other countries, we pause today to pray for migrants, immigrants, and refugees.

Prayer for Outcasts
Lord, we pray, today, for those who flee. Aid their flight.
May they avoid danger, escaping the fowler’s snare.
May they find fair winds, lifting their wings and spirits.
May they settle among the branches of the righteous who are like trees, providing healing for the nations.

We pray for those who are called by God to welcome them.
May our hearts overflow with the love of God for his children
May our eyes see the image of God in each face
May rivers of living water flow from our hearts that will satisfy, not just their physical needs, but their needs for emotional shelter, food, and healing.

When they flee violence, let us show gentleness.
When they flee hatred, let us show love.
When they flee scarcity, let us sate them.
When they flee abuse, let us console them.
When they flee oppression, let us free them.

Music: “God Help the Outcasts” — Hunchback of Notre Dame

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence
May God be merciful to us and bless us, show us the light of his countenance and come to us. — Psalm 67.1

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Readings
Proverbs 27 (Listen – 2:43)
Psalm 94 (Listen – 2:08)

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Answering Fools

  • March 7, 2022
  • /
  • John Tillman

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 26.4-5, 9, 12
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
or you yourself will be just like him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
or he will be wise in his own eyes.

9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

12 Do you see a person wise in their own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for them.

Reflection: Answering Fools
By John Tillman

Answer a fool. Don’t answer a fool. This famous mirrored pair of proverbs is almost a metaphor for the entire collection. Alone, either one of them makes sense. Together they seem absurd. Surely they can’t both be right? Surely neither of them can be wrong?

Firstly, we shouldn’t become fools.

Being wise isn’t as easy as just quoting a proverb or even putting it into practice. Even wise words can cause harm when foolish people quote them. Proverbs’ vivid picture of this is a drunken man, wildly swinging a thornbush. The man, anyone around him, and anyone trying to help are likely to be harmed.

We need wisdom to know how to use wisdom. When we quote aphorisms without regard to the situation, we are like that drunken thornbush-waving fool. “Pray more.” “Have a little faith.” “Is there sin in your life?” All three of these statements are scripturally valid and, at the right time, could be wise things to say. They will also wound someone who is suffering if we wave them around wildly. To a mother whose child is sick, any of the above statements are likely to feel like an attack.

Secondly, we should pursue wisdom humbly. 

Proverbs is a book of hope for fools. It calls to us to become wise and warns of something worse than being a fool — being wise in our own eyes. We all start foolish and simple. Lady Wisdom invites us to wisdom. Lady Folly whispers a lie that we’ve already arrived. Can we prevent others from falling into this trap? Can we prevent ourselves from doing so?

Do we answer fools or not? Do we try to remove the thornbush from the drunkard’s hand? 

Frustratingly, I think the answer is, “sometimes.” Sometimes, perhaps we can help fools stumble toward true wisdom. Sometimes the best thing we can do is help others avoid the thornbush-waving fools. In either case, we should take care and be humble. We can’t save everyone from their own foolishness, especially when we are still at risk of it ourselves.

Whatever we can do to prevent ourselves and those around us from becoming wise in our own eyes is probably worth the risk. We may be scratched by the thorns, but so was our savior. And he endured them to save fools like us.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. — Isaiah 1.18

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Readings
Proverbs 26 (Listen – 2:37)
Psalm 92-93 (Listen – 2:09)

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Prayer for Times of Crisis—Guided Prayer

  • March 4, 2022
  • /
  • John Tillman

Scripture Focus: Psalm 89.46-49
46 How long, LORD? Will you hide yourself forever? 
How long will your wrath burn like fire? 
47 Remember how fleeting is my life. 
For what futility you have created all humanity! 
48 Who can live and not see death, 
or who can escape the power of the grave? 
49 Lord, where is your former great love, 
which in your faithfulness you swore to David?

From John: As we continue in many kinds of crises, we repeat this prayer from 2020. In every kind of crisis, we can rely upon God for mercy and justice.

Reflection: A Prayer for Times of Crisis—Guided Prayer
By John Tillman

Perhaps Psalm 89 was written by the same “Ethan the Ezrahite” who was a contemporary of David. Or perhaps it was written later by a contemporary of Ezekiel and other exiles. Regardless of when it was written, it shows us a helpful, repeatable pattern of prayer for those in suffering, doubt, frustration, or crisis.

The psalm contains three distinct movements of thought. In the first section, the psalmist praises the power of God over the cosmos. From the highest court of the heavens, he rules over things seen and unseen.

In the second movement, the writer describes God’s vision and purpose for humanity. The Lord promises an intimate, fatherly, guiding relationship. David stands in as a symbol for both the nation of Israel and for the role of Jesus who will be the “Son of David” to whom those longing for deliverance will call. (Mark 10.46-52)

In the third, the writer laments the sin of his people and that God seems to be abandoning them to suffering and allowing his purposes for them to fail. Despite this lament, or perhaps because of it, the writer ends with a challenging view of hope. The psalmist trusts that God will save, that wrongs will be forgiven, and justice will be done. 

A Prayer for Times of Crisis — Guided Prayer

Praise God for who he is and acknowledge him as the king and creator of all. He is more than just the source of all life but the source of all joy, love, and justice.

Review for yourself the assurances we have in his promises to us. That we will be made like him. That we will suffer, but with him and in his power. That we will be forgiven. That we will be his images, his sons and daughters, representing him.

Express to him your doubts and fears. Tell him what you don’t believe and ask him to help you believe. (Mark 9.23-24) Tell him how you feel without fear of rejection. Tell him what you fear without being shamed.

Praise him that he is the Lord, forever. Eternal life is not just in the future. It is now. Abundant life is not just pie in the sky. He is with us now. Praise him that he is with us forever.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence
Let your loving-kindness be my comfort, as you have promised to you servant.
Let your compassion come to me, that I may live, for your law is my delight. — Psalm 119.76-77

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Readings
Proverbs 23 (Listen – 3:39)
Psalm 89 (Listen – 5:29)

This Weekend’s Readings
Proverbs 24 (Listen – 3:47), Psalm 90 (Listen – 2:03)
Proverbs 25 (Listen – 2:56), Psalm 91 (Listen – 1:39)

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Prayer for the Poor at War

  • March 3, 2022
  • /
  • John Tillman

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 22.1-2, 4, 7-9, 16
1 A good name is more desirable than great riches; 
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. 
2 Rich and poor have this in common: 
The LORD is the Maker of them all. 

4 Humility is the fear of the LORD; 
its wages are riches and honor and life. 

7 The rich rule over the poor, 
and the borrower is slave to the lender.
8 Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity, 
and the rod they wield in fury will be broken.
9 The generous will themselves be blessed, 
for they share their food with the poor.

16 One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth 
and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty. 

Rich man’s war, poor man’s fight. — unknown (Civil War era, 1861-1865)

Reflection: Prayer for the Poor at War
By John Tillman

Today’s section of proverbs has many reflections on the relationship of the rich to the poor.

During the American Civil War, men could avoid conscription into the military for a fee of $300. That would be approximately $9,500 in today’s currency. The adage “rich man’s war, poor man’s fight” originated at this time. This “proverb” has remained a popular way of expressing the fact that most nations are led to war by the rich and most who die are poor. 

United States military forces have been volunteer-only since 1973 but conscription (called the draft) could be reactivated if national security demanded it. Despite being a volunteer force, the US Armed Forces are still mostly filled by those from lower economic backgrounds, so the adage is still true.

In other nations, practices vary, but it has become clear in the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine that many captured Russian soldiers are conscripts and some of them were unaware of where they were being sent and who they were being told to attack. 

Poor men dying on behalf of the powerful is the way of the world. The way of Christ is the opposite. Christ was the wealthiest but became the poorest. He was the most powerful but became the weakest. Rather than allow us to be casualties of sin and death, God, in Christ, leapt in front of the bullets and died in our place. Yet, through God’s power he won the war with sin and death, conquering them through the cross and shaming them through his bodily resurrection. Thank God that in the war against sin and death, it is God who fights for us.

Prayer for the Poor at War
Lord, you give humans power to do good, yet we turn to evil.
We have power to plant, yet we uproot.
We have power to bless, yet we curse.
We have power to raise, yet we raze.
We have power to birth, yet we murder instead.

Lord, we pray for the poor at war and for the powerful who send them to it.
Whether the military conscript or the mother huddled in a bomb shelter, we pray for you to touch the poor and weak to save them.

Lord, fight for the weak and the powerless.
Frustrate the plans of the powerful.
Use the weak to overcome the strong.
And to those commanded to do wickedness, give bravery to rebel.

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Readings
Proverbs 22 (Listen – 2:59)
Psalm 88 (Listen – 1:58)

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State of Our Souls

  • March 2, 2022
  • /
  • Erin Newton

Scripture Focus: Psalm 86.11-13
11 Teach me your way, Lord,
    that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
    that I may fear your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
    I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
    you have delivered me from the depths,
    from the realm of the dead.

Reflection: State of Our Souls
By Erin Newton

Once again, these are unprecedented times. We have been jarred emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. We need an anchor. There are times that we typically set aside to refocus our lives and assess any shortcomings. We see this in the state of the union, new year resolutions, or annual work performance reviews. In the same way, the church has often used the liturgical calendar to mark Ash Wednesday as a day of reflection and prayer.

The early church often held baptisms only once a year and the period between Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday was meant to be a time when solemn reflection was made. Time to think about salvation. Time to ponder the depths of the sacrifice of Christ. Time to resolutely commit to the lordship of Jesus.

Reflecting on the work of Christ in our lives is something we must repeat. Remembering our need for salvation, confessing our sin, and rejoicing in the grace of God is an anchor in these storm-tossed waves of life.

Psalm 86 is a wonderful hymn to pray for this purpose. The verses guide us. We acknowledge our need for God’s help. Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Our resources are shrinking; our mental and emotional capacity to endure wains. We need our Lord to intervene.

We must remind ourselves that we do not trust in an empty god as other nations do. Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. We anchor our souls in no false hope or pseudo-savior. We know that Christ alone is Lord.

We meditate on the character of God. You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you… But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. We need to remember his goodness and love for us. Our world is always angry and hateful, but he abounds in love and is slow to anger.

So, with this, we recenter our hearts and minds on him. As we move toward the solemn remembrance of the crucifixion of Christ and his joyous resurrection, we recommit our lives. We pray for an undivided heart. No person, cause, or ideology should vie for the supremacy of Christ in our lives. Take this time to remember the anchor of our souls.  

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
I will confess you among the peoples, O Lord; I will sing praises to you among the nations. — Psalm 108.3

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Readings
Proverbs 21 (Listen – 3:12)
Psalm 86-87 (Listen – 2:26)

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