A PRAYER

"Grant to our president success against our enemies. Grant him wisdom & understanding to administer his duties & office in peace & happiness. Grant to all elected & appointed leaders good counsel & the will & ability to preserve this land & this people in tranquility & justice. Especially aid & guide the governor of this state,  under whose protection You have sheltered us, that being protected against all harm, the administration may be blessed & we can live free from evil & disloyal people. Grant grace to all the people to serve our leaders loyally & obediently. Grant to all of us diligence in our vocation & charity in our dealings with one another. Amen.  Lutheran Prayer Book

TRYING TO BE FAITHFUL

"You alone, Lord, can reach out to me & save me. You alone. I can only keep trying to be faithful, even though I feel faithless most of the time. What else can I do but keeping praying to You, even when I feel dark . . . "  Henri Nouwen, Men's Devotional Bible

VOTING

"When you cast your ballot, consider the following triage:  First, your overriding responsibility is to your nearest neighbor who has the most acute need. The defenseless neighbor faced with imminent death has a more pressing need for justice than the one who may lose access to a favorite meadow where he likes to stroll. Second, the protection of human life outweighs the enhancement of human life. Third people always rank ahead of animals; & fourth, the stuff we accumulate & want to keep always ranks last. Fifth, & finally, respect for each human person, or basic fairness, ranks ahea of any alleged right to keep what is 'rightfully yours.' Christians know that what they have belongs to God, & every one of their nearly 8 billion neighbors is someone for whom Christ died--someone to whom we owe justice in the temporal realm & someone to whom we owe the proclamation of the Gospel in the spiritual realm . . . 

"There is something sacred about voting--it is a holy task given to you by God & done for the sake of your neighbor. Cast your ballot wisely, selflessly & confidently. Seek God's justice for your neighbor & God's grace for you as you follow your Lord into the thick of a messy & broken world that He is eager to save."  Joel Biermann, The Lutheran Witness, Aug. 2020