No matter where one\u2019s views fall on the spectrum of thoughts about immigration issues, members of our Lutheran faith family should be extraordinarily disturbed by the massive displacement of individuals and families across the globe.\u00a0 Not only are countless lives tragically upended, and the health and welfare of adults, children, and babies put at extreme risk, but they face manifest danger and intense discrimination in seeking the chance for resettlement.\u00a0 Granted, the world is full of troubles that seem immune to ready solutions.\u00a0 Yet, we cannot dismiss these human tragedies from our hearts and minds as too distant or too complicated for our concern and compassion.<\/p>\n
A frequent question is: What can I\/we do?\u00a0 A good answer is to go back to the basics \u2013 the power of prayer.\u00a0 Commendably, Church World Services, an increasing presence in our region, has developed a Worship Guide for reflecting and praying for the tens of millions displaced persons.\u00a0 The ELCA has taken on a role in circulating it.<\/p>\n
The guide begins with applicable Bible verses, offers sermon starters, a variety of prayers, a litany prayer, prayer points for personal use, responsive prayer, hymn suggestions, and reflections, which involves a refugee simulation exercise.\u00a0 The old saw about putting oneself in the shoes of another has not lost its relevance.\u00a0 The meaning has increased in this age of bombast and belligerence.\u00a0 This guide is incredibly directed and utile.\u00a0 It is worth taking a look at and considering making a part of devotions.<\/p>\n
In our Tree of Life congregation, concerns in other parts of the world are always incorporated into the prayers of the church during worship services.\u00a0 As with many parts of the worship service, we can fall into the trap of hearing the familiar but not really listening.\u00a0 When the significance is brought to our notice afresh, it hopefully causes us to think, and perhaps to respond.<\/p>\n
By informing our minds and softening our hearts, prayers for refugees remove the issue of displacement from the hard world of partisan political discourse and bring it back to scriptural context.\u00a0 We can view the crisis through the lens of our religious beliefs, rather than our political associations.\u00a0 That plants the seeds for meaningful response, be it advocacy, volunteering, or contributing financially or materially.<\/p>\n
The more deeply we become informed on immigration issues, the greater our appreciation for the dedicated organizations who are doing everything within the realm of possibility to welcome those who manage to find their way to America\u2019s doorstep.\u00a0 The realization sinks in that there are many ways in which we can contribute constructively and live out the precepts of faith and stewardship.\u00a0 This is the often not so apparent blessing \u2013 the chance to bear witness \u2013 for which we should be grateful daily.\u00a0 We often think of prayer in terms of prayer requests, but here prayer can be a motivator for caring and giving.\u00a0 Will we prayerfully accept the challenge of going forth?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
No matter where one\u2019s views fall on the spectrum of thoughts about immigration issues, members of our Lutheran faith family should be extraordinarily disturbed by the massive displacement of individuals and families across the globe.\u00a0 Not only are countless lives tragically upended, and the health and welfare of adults, children, and babies put at extreme […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":267,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-95","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-post"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n