Finding Myself Perplexed...
Seeking to deepen my prayer life, I picked up Ken Boa's "Face to Face." This book uses scripture coupled with prayer to provide structure and depth to prayer time. The prayers are not formal, rote formats. Rather they are God's Word followed by encouragement to pray for a specific topic.
Each day includes a section on Adoration, Confession, Renewal, Petition, Intercession, Affirmation and Thanksgiving. (We use the ACTS acronym in our prayers with our kids, so this really makes sense to me.) I've found the book to be a gem and to fulfill exactly what was intended, a deeper prayer relationship with God.
With that said, this post is really not about prayer at all :). My first verse today in the book to pray was this "Lord, my God, You are God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. You execute justice for the fatherless and the widow, and You love the alien, giving him food and clothing." Deuteronomy 10:17-18
While you might think I would highlight the portion about the fatherless, something different, but intertwined is on my plate right now. As God expands relationships in our lives, He has graciously developed a friendship with a precious couple. The wife is a legal citizen of this country; the husband is not. Last night, we spent hours visiting with them and a friend they brought over who is now a single mom with 2 little ones. This friend, a delightful young lady, is not a legal resident of our country; she was brought to the US when she was 11 by her parents, attended school here and now is stuck.
All of our rhetoric about illegal immigration rarely discusses those that had no say in coming to our country. This young lady would make a wonderful U.S. citizen, if so permitted. Plus, there are these 2 beautiful children who are caught in the midst of their father's domestic abuse; no one wants the police involved because of the mother (and biological father's) immigration status.
As a lawyer, I want to direct her to Legal Aid and other resources designed just for situations like hers. And yet, because of her status, they cannot take her case. Where is justice for someone who has no rights here in America?
I'm befuddled. Frankly, I typically land on the conservative side of this issue. And yet, do I really desire for this young lady I met to be shipped back to Mexico without her children? Is that really what is best for her or her children? She has no one in Mexico; all of her family came here.
To wake up and find this verse in my devotional, after last night's visit makes me know that my God does not forget her. And I'm not supposed to forget her either. Once again, I find myself praying for open eyes, open hands and a willing heart. It is not so easy to dismiss a human being when I meet them, engage them and discover that they are very much like me.
Please, help me on this...
Each day includes a section on Adoration, Confession, Renewal, Petition, Intercession, Affirmation and Thanksgiving. (We use the ACTS acronym in our prayers with our kids, so this really makes sense to me.) I've found the book to be a gem and to fulfill exactly what was intended, a deeper prayer relationship with God.
With that said, this post is really not about prayer at all :). My first verse today in the book to pray was this "Lord, my God, You are God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. You execute justice for the fatherless and the widow, and You love the alien, giving him food and clothing." Deuteronomy 10:17-18
While you might think I would highlight the portion about the fatherless, something different, but intertwined is on my plate right now. As God expands relationships in our lives, He has graciously developed a friendship with a precious couple. The wife is a legal citizen of this country; the husband is not. Last night, we spent hours visiting with them and a friend they brought over who is now a single mom with 2 little ones. This friend, a delightful young lady, is not a legal resident of our country; she was brought to the US when she was 11 by her parents, attended school here and now is stuck.
All of our rhetoric about illegal immigration rarely discusses those that had no say in coming to our country. This young lady would make a wonderful U.S. citizen, if so permitted. Plus, there are these 2 beautiful children who are caught in the midst of their father's domestic abuse; no one wants the police involved because of the mother (and biological father's) immigration status.
As a lawyer, I want to direct her to Legal Aid and other resources designed just for situations like hers. And yet, because of her status, they cannot take her case. Where is justice for someone who has no rights here in America?
I'm befuddled. Frankly, I typically land on the conservative side of this issue. And yet, do I really desire for this young lady I met to be shipped back to Mexico without her children? Is that really what is best for her or her children? She has no one in Mexico; all of her family came here.
To wake up and find this verse in my devotional, after last night's visit makes me know that my God does not forget her. And I'm not supposed to forget her either. Once again, I find myself praying for open eyes, open hands and a willing heart. It is not so easy to dismiss a human being when I meet them, engage them and discover that they are very much like me.
Please, help me on this...
