Tag: values

Be Ready (Mark 13:9-23)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Art by Mark Keathley

“As for yourselves, beware, for they will hand you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them. And the good news must first be proclaimed to all nations. 

“When they bring you to trial and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak but the Holy Spirit. 

“Sibling will betray sibling to death and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

“But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; the one on the housetop must not go down or enter to take anything from the house; the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that it may not be in winter. 

“For in those days there will be suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would be saved, but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he has cut short those days. 

“And if anyone says to you at that time, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘Look! There he is!’—do not believe it. False messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be alert; I have already told you everything. (New Revised Standard Version)

The genuineness and strength of one’s faith is demonstrated through the testing of it. A believer’s faith must and will be tried. How will that faith hold up when the world is angry and pours out its hate against them?

Jesus teaching in the Temple, by Willem van Herp (1614-1677)

The follower of Jesus will undergo afflictions and be oppressed by others. They will suffer.

Since that is true, the Christian must ensure that whatever suffering they endure is not because they have been obnoxious and unhelpful to people in this world; but that they are suffering because of their commitment to the words and ways of Jesus, because of their humility, gentleness, righteousness, purity, mercy, and peace.

Christians are meant to bear the cross, so that they may be conformed to the image of their Lord Jesus. There will be times when believers are the brunt of ungodly rage and fury, gossip and slander, opposition and injustice.

Jesus was warning his disciples that they needed to be prepared for endurance, to persevere over the long haul for their faith in him. Otherwise, they might be overwhelmed by temptation.

Christ followers are to remain steady in their purpose of living into the words of Jesus, and living out his ways in a world that prizes the opposite of Christian values.

The godly person values humility. The ungodly persons values pride.

The godly grieve and mourn over injustice in the world. The ungodly celebrate getting ahead by any means possible in this world.

The godly are meek. The ungodly are mean.

The godly seek right relationships with God and others. The ungodly leverage relationships to get what they want.

The godly prize mercy. The ungodly champion being merciless.

The godly are pure in heart. The ungodly have spiders in their heart, and garlic in their soul.

The godly engage in peacemaking. The ungodly engage in warmongering.

The godly end are persecuted for embracing the virtues of Jesus. The ungodly are the persecutors of good people.

The godly will be comforted, inherit the earth, receive mercy, see God, and belong to the kingdom of heaven. The ungodly will be judged, inherit the wind, receive condemnation, see nothing, and belong to the kingdom of darkness.

Sermon on the Mount, by Jorge Cocco Santángelo

The Lord wants us relieved of anxiety, and cheerfully living life with our burdens laid upon Jesus, for he gently and ably carries them. We can cast all our cares on him, because he cares for us. (Matthew 11:28-30; 1 Peter 5:7)

Whenever we are in the position of being afflicted by others, wisdom shall be granted to the godly who follow in the way of Christ.

The grace of God exists for those who seek to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. But there is nothing for the proud and arrogant, who believe they themselves are sufficient – because they refuse to receive any gift of God being offered to them.

All sorts of false prophets come along to try and deceive the godly into listening and following them. They make empty promises and blame others for unwanted situations. Know that whatever they say about others, is actually true of themselves.

So, when they accuse another of lying, cheating, stealing, murdering, etc. you can be sure that this is precisely what they themselves do to get ahead and get what they want in this life. Therefore, don’t be tempted by any rhetoric which demeans others.

Love of God and humanity is to be kindled hot, and not cooled through ingratitude and treachery. For whenever courage is weakened, a flood of violent speech and behavior follows.

We must strive against anything which harms the whole of humanity, and puts God at a distance. Instead, good news needs to be proclaimed.

The end will eventually come. Yet, we need not wander around in darkness, as if we don’t know what to do or where to go. We will indeed go through testing and many trials to our faith.

The desolating sacrilege, the abomination of desolation, will appear – which will be the sign that the time is short. An abomination, or desolation, means to profane something, to make it unclean or impure, to treat a holy thing as if it were simply not significant nor important.

In other words, whenever and wherever corruption is rife, and people (and God) are treated as disposable, then you know destruction is at hand. Thus, you must flee, because there is danger.

In such a situation, the rule of law will not help you. Services which were once helpful will be abolished and thrown away like garbage. And it could all happen rather quickly. So, don’t run back and try to save pieces of that previous life and existence; it isn’t worth it. You life is on the line.

Malicious motives and meanness of heart have no intention for the common good of all persons on this earth. A few people want what they want, and they don’t care who gets hurt in the process.

None of this awful behavior will go on forever. God’s judgment can and will deal with it. Yet, no one knows the time or date when that judgment will be rendered. For the sake of the godly, those days will be shortened.

Jesus was not attempting scare his disciples, but to exhort and arouse them to beware of the ungodly; and to keep watch, so that they would not fall into temptation and have their faith weakened.

As believers, we may experience troubles, but we need not be troubled.

The Good Shepherd of the sheep, Jesus Christ, is watching over us so that we don’t need to become distressed and discouraged.

My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, in regard to what he has given me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand.  (John 10:27-29, NRSV)

The permanence of our deliverance from guilt, shame, sin, death, and hell does not depend on any of us. It is relies firmly upon the grace of God in Christ. And none who have been given to God shall perish. (John 17:12)

Be encouraged. But also be ready.

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.

Filled with Divine Fullness (Colossians 2:6-15)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Resurrection, by Oliver Pfaff

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Watch out that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by the removal of the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 

And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it. (New Revised Standard Version)

On the television gameshow “Let’s Make a Deal,” selected members of the studio audience are offered something of value, and then given a choice of whether to keep it or exchange it for a different item.

The game’s drama is that the other item is hidden from the person until that choice is made. The participant does not know if the alternative item is of equal or greater value; or an item purposely chosen to be of little or no value.

The “deal” with Christianity is that Christians already have something of significant value. But they often lose it by going after something they aren’t even sure they actually want, or not.

Followers of Jesus have been given a valuable gift. And the Apostle Paul’s exhortation to the Church at Colossae was to go ahead and keep going with the prize you already possess.

Believers in Jesus have received him. Therefore, the believer is not to trade the words and ways of Jesus, and the redemption secured in Christ, for something else.

Instead, the Christian is to do their best to live into those words and ways, right now in daily life. Christians are invited to explore the vast spiritual resources of their gifted redemption.

Having been redeemed by the Cross of Christ, believers are deeply rooted in Jesus. They are on a firm foundation of faith. Christians possess a faith full of hope and love.

So then, believers are encouraged by the Apostle Paul to take everything they have been taught, and everything they have received, and run with it.

It doesn’t matter what is behind another door, or what is on the other side of the curtain; grab ahold of what you possess in Jesus Christ. Stop considering a better way to live, and start living the life that’s been given to you.

Allow gratitude and thanksgiving to arise within you, and to come forth out of you. Quit looking how much greener the grass is on the other side of the fence. That pasture isn’t really greener; and there is not really a better way.

Many people have become disillusioned with institutional religion. They’ve had it with church. So, some of them end up throwing out the baby with the bath water, entertaining all sorts of ideas and approaches other than the grace-filled Christianity they once received.

Unfortunately, there are plenty of spiritual charlatans who seek to bedazzle people with fine sounding words. But it’s all nothing but a bunch of pseudo-intellectual philosophical babble.

Yet, because the messenger appears confident and makes grand pronouncements, they let themselves be captured, and go with it. And there are others who become enamored with endless theological talk, that has neither any real effect on one’s daily life, nor eternal life.

The Apostle was warning the Colossian believers about getting lost in the myriad traditions and superstitions that have an absence of Christ in the middle of them.

The way of Jesus has Christ directly and purposefully at the core of one’s life. Anything less is to make a deal and see what is behind another door.

The way of Jesus has very little to do with a particular theological tradition about the end times, or a certain literal interpretive stance, or a liturgical or non-liturgical approach to the Christian life.

Everything of God is right, just, and good. And according to Christianity, it comes through the person and work of Jesus, through Christ’s words and ways as expressed in the New Testament Gospels.

It seems to me that the Apostle Paul would be aghast today at how many supposed Christian believers worship him and his epistles! Instead of giving their full adoration to Christ.

The last word doesn’t come from Paul, but from Jesus. Keep in mind that Paul worshiped Christ, and did not point people to himself as the be-all-end-all of any philosophical approach.

Jesus the Dancer, by Jyoti Sahi

Everything the Christian needs is within the fullness of Jesus Christ.

All things are empty without Christ, including the vast universe. The power and authority of Christ extends over all things and all people everywhere. Paul was insistent on this in all of the churches he established.

Thus, Christians must enter into the fullness of their Lord Jesus.

You can spend a lifetime, even an eternity after death, trying to figure out how God works, but you will never get to the end of it. God’s arm has that long of a reach. The fullness of Jesus is that big and filling. The strength of the Spirit is that powerful.

The heart and center of Christianity has nothing to do with circumcision, modes of baptism, keeping long lists of laws, or maintaining multiple spiritual practices. Because the Christian is already in, and already united with Christ.

This is why Paul prayed for believers to explore and realize what they already have in Christ, so that, with the eyes of their heart enlightened, they may perceive what is the hope to which God has called them, the riches of God’s glorious inheritance among the saints, and the immeasurable greatness of divine power for those who believe. (Ephesians 1:18-19)

The Christian has been spiritually raised from the dead, just as Christ was physically raised from death to life. And believers will also be physically raised, as Jesus was, if they have the spiritual eyes to see it.

Think of all those times in the past when you were stuck, and living a dead-end existence. Remember how God made you alive in Christ. All of your guilt and shame forgiven. All the stuff that kept you down and out, all that kept you from God, was nailed to the Cross of Christ.

The malevolent forces of this world have been stripped of their power, and can be seen as the sham they actually are.

The Christian is delivered from sin, death, and hell. There is, therefore, no need for the believer to trade what they already have for whatever the heck is behind door number two.

It will not be nearly as valuable nor practical – not even close.

Being grounded in the person and work of Christ is where it’s at, my friend.

Watch out that nobody comes along and tries to sway you from Jesus. Don’t make any deals. You and I have Jesus. He is all we need.

Lord Jesus, you are worthy of our adoration, affection, and allegiance. Because of you, we don’t have to guess what God is like; there is no need to create our own image of God. Everything we need to know about God is revealed in and through you. Along with the Father and the Spirit, you have always existed in perfect relationship and unimaginable wonder.

Blessed Holy Trinity, the God whom I serve, may your divine dance of Father, Son, and Spirit pulsate within me, and flow out of me in a trust that you are enough. Then I will know that I, too, am enough as I avoid the false philosophies and promises of this world.

Almighty God, you fill the center of my being, so that I can let You be You, and so, be content and at peace, despite the alternative voices that chatter constantly around me. May your will be done, today and every day, to the glory of Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

From the Heart (Mark 7:9-23)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Art by Anna Startseva

Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition. For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents. And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others.”

Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand. It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.”

Then Jesus went into a house to get away from the crowd, and his disciples asked him what he meant by the parable he had just used. “Don’t you understand either?” he asked. “Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes.)

And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.” (New Living Translation)

There is nothing inherently wrong with tradition. Ideally, traditions are helpful ways of remembering and maintaining the values that are important to us.

Yet, what can happen over time is that the tradition itself can become equal to the value we hold to; and eventually, the tradition can become more important than the value it is supposed to remind us of.

In the worst case scenario, the tradition is kept, and the value is forgotten and lost. Whenever that happens, traditions easily become weaponized to protect our interests while harming others. And that is a phenomenon Jesus wanted nothing to do with.

So, Christ affirmed and upheld the essential purpose of the Torah (scriptural law) as the foundation of morality to live justly and righteously in the world. Keeping Torah, therefore, is a matter of inner motives, and intents of the heart, rather than external compliance to ritualized traditions.

Unfortunately, the outward form had supplanted the inward disposition of the heart. Purity then became a matter of observable rituals, and defilement a matter of failing to do the ritual properly. And the original values behind the rituals were lost – which caused souls to become lost, and other people victimized by religious traditions.

Whether one is ritually clean or unclean is not ultimately determined by material objects; it is, instead, determined by the state of the heart.

Art by Andy Perez

In other words, no outward ritual can ever really make a person clean or unclean, pure or impure, spotless or polluted. Inner transformation is what scrubs a person clean and makes them pure.

Ritual traditions, and even scriptural law itself, is unable to effect a transformative change.

Torah can require purity, cleanness, and moral uprightness; but it cannot affect a metamorphosis. We need something other than traditions, rituals, and laws to bring true and sustainable transformation of life.

I say that it is time to hear and observe Jesus. Millions of people throughout history, and up to the present time, have found in Christ (and not in Christian rituals, traditions, church codes, nor in a political Christendom) the answer and the key to what life is really all about.

Again, there is not a problem with our human traditions per se, but with traditions replacing Torah and the word of God.

Jesus gave an example of just such a contradiction between religious tradition and divine law: According to tradition, if a person makes a vow concerning their property and/or possessions as a gift to God at the temple, then those assets cannot be used to support that person’s parents in their old age.

Christ pointed out that this clearly contradicts the command to honor your father and mother. Ironically, the very tradition that was supposed to purify became the means to contamination – because the tradition forbids the person from obeying the command of God.

In a word picture that everyone could understand, Jesus explained that impurity and defilement have to do with what passes through the heart, not the bowels.

People obey or disobey the Ten Commandments due to the state of their heart, and not whether they keep every detail of traditional washing of the hands and body.

People lack virtue not because they fail to do human traditions; but because of what is in their hearts.

This is why Jesus, in his Sermon on the Mount, gets to the heart of why people break commands. For example:

  • The outward act of murder is a result of the inward anger of nurturing bitterness in the heart. (Matthew 5:21-22)
  • The physical act of adultery is the culmination of dozens of mental adulteries which originated in the heart. (Matthew 5:27-28)

Everything that harms and hurts is sourced in the heart, and not in failing to keep a tradition.

Furthermore, the Gospel writer Mark, added the very interesting parenthetical comment that in speaking this way, Jesus meant to declare that all foods are clean; there is nothing eaten that can make us impure.

That may not seem remarkable to most people, but to Jews this statement is cataclysmic and revolutionary. Levitical law details the separating of clean and unclean food, for the purpose of distinguishing the Israelites from all the other surrounding nations. (Leviticus 11:43-44; 20:24-26)

Holding to food laws, and traditional hand washings when it comes to eating, are a way of preserving religious identity and national identity. Jesus had no intention of doing away with Jewish identity, but he very much intended to do away with maintaining practices that keep strict separation from other people.

In other words, Christ was opening the way for ministry to Gentiles. He wanted to bring connection where there was deep division. He wanted the world to know God.

This gets at the “heart” of true religion. Distinctiveness as God’s people does not necessarily nor ultimately come by observing particular traditions; it comes primarily through purity of heart.

And the means of bringing purity of any kind, comes through love. Love always makes a way and finds connections. Love is the sine qua non mark of God.

Traditions infused with love, point people to God, and let them know that they belong.

But traditions for tradition’s sake, repel people, and communicate to them that they don’t belong, and should go away and not pollute the pure ones.

This approach of Jesus toward the religious leaders raises for me several probing questions:

  1. What is the true state of your heart?
  2. Are you aware of your own heart’s dark shadows?
  3. In what sort of direction is your heart inclined to speak and act?
  4. Does encouragement or criticism typically arise from your heart?
  5. Is love the compass of your heart, or does bitterness give you direction?
  6. Will you acknowledge your need of a savior? Will you ask for help?

Blessed God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: Make us quick to listen, and slow to speak, so that the Word implanted in our hearts may take root to nourish all of our living. And may the the Word within us overflow into speech and action which blesses the world. Amen.

Pass Along Values (1 Kings 2:1-11)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
David’s Dying Charge to Solomon, by Ferdinand Bol (1616-1680)

David’s time was coming to an end. So he commanded Solomon his son, “I’m following the path that the whole earth takes. Be strong and be a man. Guard what is owed to the Lord your God, walking in his ways and observing his laws, his commands, his judgments, and his testimonies, just as it is written in the Instruction from Moses.

“In this way you will succeed in whatever you do and wherever you go. So also the Lord will confirm the word he spoke to me: ‘If your children will take care to walk before me faithfully, with all their heart and all their being, then one of your own children will never fail to be on the throne of Israel.’ 

“You should know what Joab, Zeruiah’s son, has done to me and what he did to the two generals of Israel, Abner, Ner’s son, and Amasa, Jether’s son. He murdered them, spilling blood at peacetime and putting the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet. So act wisely: Don’t allow him to die a peaceful death. 

“As for Barzillai’s sons from Gilead, show them kindness. Let them eat with you. When I was running away from your brother Absalom, they came to me. 

“Now as for this Shimei, Gera’s son—a Benjaminite from Bahurim—who is with you, he cursed me viciously when I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, ‘Surely I won’t execute you with the sword.’ But you don’t need to excuse him. You are wise and know what to do to him. Give him a violent death.”

Then David lay down with his ancestors and was buried in David’s City. He ruled over Israel forty years—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. (Common English Bible)

David

On David’s deathbed, he ensured that his son Solomon would be king. And David had some pragmatic advice to pass along, before he himself passed away.

Along with an encouragement to remain faithful to God’s covenant stipulations, David communicated some personal scores to Solomon that needed to be settled. Old general Joab, as well as Shimei, a servant from Saul’s old house, were threats to the new king’s reign in Israel and Judah.

Joab and Shimei

King David had a complicated relationship with Joab. At issue for David was the murder of two opponents to the king. Joab had killed them in a time of peace, and not because of a wartime situation.

On top of that, Joab had thrown his lot in with Adonijah, Solomon’s half-brother, who had tried to wriggle onto the throne before David was even gone.

And then there was the character Shimei. He had cursed David repeatedly when yet another half-brother to Solomon, Absalom, engaged in a coup attempt against his father.

Once the threat had passed, Shimei made a quick about face back to David. The king told Shimei that he would not kill him. But with Solomon, David communicated that he was completely free to do what needed to be done with the old rascal Shimei.

Fathers

Ideally, all fathers would have the chance to communicate to their children at the end of their lives. Yet, having been at the bedside of many a father in my work as a hospital chaplain, I’ve not seen many who pass along wisdom and instructions on their deathbed.

Fortunately, there are times when I can help facilitate the conversation between father and family. Yet, unfortunately, there are far too many times when fathers simply die with no loved ones present; or they badger someone to promise to stop doing something.

Rare, however, are the experiences of expressing some sound instruction, along with instructions about how to deal with life.

I realize that wills and documents do much of this work nowadays, yet I still argue that face-to-face communication which reinforces one’s values is always a good idea – especially at the end of one’s life.

Honestly, nobody really needs to wait until they are nearly gone to communicate important values and sage advice to loved ones. It can be done now, before it’s too late.

I’m talking about more than healthcare decisions for the actual end of life situation – but about the grace, forgiveness, wisdom, and/or moral values one wants their loved ones to know; or to reinforce those things that are of upmost importance.

It seems to me that thinking through the following values, and how to communicate them, can be done now, and, if appropriate and possible, at the end of one’s life:

Empathy

Treat others with compassion and understanding. Practice kindness. Consider the emotions of others. Seek to understand another’s point of view. Encourage family members to talk about their feelings. 

Therefore, as God’s choice, holy and loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. (Colossians 3:12, CEB)

Relationships

In the end, the only thing permanent and enduring is relationships. We cannot take any of our stuff with us. Prioritize time with people, especially family. It only makes sense to value loved ones by putting our time into them.

Be happy with those who are happy, and cry with those who are crying. Consider everyone as equal, and don’t think that you’re better than anyone else. (Romans 12:15-16, CEB)

Honesty

Telling the truth is not always easy, but it’s essential to maintaining trust between people. Life requires knowing and living by the truth.

“You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teaching. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32, CEB)

Love

Deep affection and attachment connects people and keeps them together. It’s important to verbally express love, as well as to demonstrate it with actions.

Don’t be in debt to anyone, except for the obligation to love each other. Whoever loves another person has fulfilled the Law. (Romans 13:8, CEB)

Commitment

Support one another in difficult times; and do not intentionally harm each other. Don’t shame your family for mistakes they’ve made. Instead, express loyalty and encouragement.

Be the best in this work of grace in the same way that you are the best in everything, such as faith, speech, knowledge, total commitment, and the love we inspired in you. (2 Corinthians 8:7, CEB)

Respect

Treat everyone, and especially family members, with the upmost care and politeness; and discourage disrespectful words and offensive behavior.

Submit to each other out of respect for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21, CEB)

Perseverance

Your family will face many complex challenges in the years ahead. Encourage them to embrace shared goals, practice self-care, and patiently work together in order to overcome obstacles. 

We even take pride in our problems, because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. (Romans 5:3-4, CEB)

It is always open season on passing along wise and good values, no matter whether it’s in a calm or a calamitous season of life.

Almighty God, enable me to be mindful of your mercy and happy to do your will. Bless my family with honest work, sound learning, and good manners. Save us all from violence, division, and confusion; and from pride and arrogance, and all evil. Protect us, and keep us united.

Grant Your wisdom to all in positions of authority and influence, so that there may be justice and peace at home, and obedience and submission everywhere. In times of prosperity, fill our hearts with grace and gratitude, and in times of trouble, help us trust in Your divine justice, righteousness, and goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.