Praying for Justice

O Lord of all creation we recognize that righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; that love and faithfulness go before you. Rise up, O Judge of the earth; Rise up and deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. Loose the chains of injustice wherever they may be found.

This day we pray for our brothers and sisters around the world who are enslaved, forced to do the will of their oppressor. May they know that you hear their cries. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hands of the wicked. For we know you work righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.

O God for those who groan this day from the effects of a fallen nature from oil spills to earthquakes, volcanoes to floods. Hear their cries. For we know that you secure justice for the poor and uphold the cause of the needy. Heal our land that justice may once again roll on like a river and righteousness as a never ending stream.

Rise up, O Judge of the earth, defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Raise up people of faith who will do justice, love mercy and walk humbly before you. Establish justice in our nation and in our neighborhoods. Forgive us O Lord when we fall short of our pledge to be one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

As a federal judge seeks to ban our right to pray, and we become more divided by the way we look, may we know that you judge us for how we live. As lady liberty stands in the harbor of New York, a city once again threatened by a terrorist bomb, we pray for peace and freedom from fear. May the tired, the poor and the huddled masses yearning to be free continue to find our shores a refuge and a land of freedom and opportunity. Forgive us when we fail to provide liberty and justice for all. Help us understand the needs of the poor in our own city, on our own block as foreclosures continue to escalate, jobs are scarce, government is stretched and laws are complex. Grant us wisdom to love our neighbor as ourselves. Empower us to provide a cup of cold water to those in need, to provide good guidance and counsel where needed and to hold out the hope that comes from a loving, just God.

Father may we administer true justice; may we show mercy and compassion to one another. Where there is hate, may we show love; where there is hurt, may we bring healing and where there is injustice, may we bring justice. For we know that good will come to him who is generous and gives freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.

May we be people of justice that reflect a God of justice this day and every day until you establish your kingdom and right all the injustices of this world.

Amen.

Reflection of God

To reflect means to take time to meditate or consider a new idea. It also means to reflect an image as in a mirror. And so it is that I take time to reflect on the life of our faithful friend and companion - Hobbes - our yorkshire terrier who after being with us for 17 years died. I want to consider a new idea of how our dog was a reflection of God. After all if you hold the word "dog" up to a mirror, it reflects backward as "god".

D ependant. Hobbes was dependant on us. We have a saying, "It's a dog's life" which means it is a wonderful life filled without worry or concern. Why? Because a dog does not worry about his food or shelter, he knows it will be provided. They have a simple faith.

Me, I worry. I worry about money, time, people and circumstances most of which I cannot control. It seems we want to control our circumstances and when we can't seek to blame someone else for the problem. We are so good we even blame our dog - "My dog ate my homework". Circumstances are often difficult - they can be for a dog also - but our challenge is to have the faith of a dog in the midst of the circumstances so that we can still face the challenges with joy. Otherwise we can find ourselves trapped in prisons of bitterness, anger and despair. Prisons of our own making.

When I first met Shelly she was trapped in a prison of bitterness and hopelessness. Who could blame her? She had a controlling ex-husband who was abusive. She was afraid for herself and nine-year-old daughter. She became Administer Justice's first client. While we were able to intervene and provide protection and support through the law, we were also able to provide mercy, compassion and hope. She was so grateful she brought cookies to court. You can meet Shelly and hear her story here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjNIfNGfNns&feature=channel

Over time Shelly learned to not be dependent upon an unreliable ex or a caring attorney, but to rely upon the only true, constant and faithful God. The psalmist declares: "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge." Ps. 62:5-8.

We can depend on Him.

O bedient. We often think of dogs as obedient. They know their master's voice and respond to it. Some dogs are obedience school masters and others, like Hobbes, were obedience school dropouts. Yorkie's are very smart dogs but for his final test in obedience school, Hobbes quit heeling and decided it was too nice a day and laid down in the grass. Still until he went deaf late in life, he listened to our voice and was never cross.

We have another dog saying, "Don't bite the hand that feeds you." No matter what kids might do to Hobbes he never bit or fought back. It amazes me how quickly we get angry or disappointed with God and bite the hand that feeds us. Not Hobbes. He had a wonderful disposition no matter what the circumstances and happily followed wherever we led.

Most of us are probably obedience school drop outs. Some of us are deaf, others hear our master's voice but prefer to go our own way. I am certainly one such individual. I did not want to start Administer Justice. I wanted to keep a lucrative private practice. I liked the time flexibility I had and being the senior partner of a multi-office law firm. But God's plans are not our plans and neither are his ways our ways. They are better. I was slow to learn this and you can read more on that story on our website - Go and Do Likewise - www.administerjustice.org.

Isaiah declares: "This is what the Lord says - your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: 'I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea.'" Isa. 48:18-19. Last week I was in court and the judge commented on how peace-filled I was. There is a peace that comes in knowing that you are obeying your master's voice. There is great blessing in serving the thousands who come to Administer Justice. We never serve perfectly, but we always serve faithfully to the best of our abilities.

There is joy in obedience.

G iving. Dogs are very giving. We have a phrase, "loyal as a dog" because of how loving and giving dogs are. "Watchdogs" are vigilant. They serve and protect. They wait on their master and watch over them, no matter what.

Hobbes was already seven when we had our boys and we were concerned that he would resent these new creatures imposing on his territory. But moments after Joseph and Daniel were brought home for the first time, Hobbes interjected himself when grandpa tried to pull Joseph away from me. He instantly sought to protect his new charges and served as a loving big brother the rest of his days. On one occasion we had a rash of burglaries in our neighborhood and the houses all around ours were broken into but we were spared and we are certain that is because of Hobbes barking. It did not matter that he was only ten pounds as all ten pounds were heart.

God is like that. He loves us so much that he sacrificed his only son for us. John tells us, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life." Jn. 3:16. Jesus told us, "Greater love has no man than this but that he would lay down his life for his friends." And "This is how they will know you are my friends, if you show love one for another." How do we do that?

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?" 1 Jn. 3:16-17. Dogs understand that. They love unconditionally and protect the vulnerable. They serve without question and give themselves entirely in the service of their master.

True living comes from giving.

D O G. Our dog was a wonderful Dependant, Obedient, Giving animal. He was more than an animal, more than a pet, but was a member of the family. We will miss him, but I pray that I can learn from him. To depend on the master, be obedient to his voice, and give love in the service of others. What a great model. As I reflect on Hobbes, I truly believe he reflected GOD. May the same be said of me when one day I draw my last breath. I pray the same for you as well.

Joseph, Helen and Daniel Strom at the Magic Kingdom

The Magic Kingdom. We just returned from a week at the Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida. Disney certainly knows how to entertain and it was a wonderful week for our twin sons, Joseph and Daniel, who turned six. I was amazed at how little fighting I saw. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. Disney even created the concept of a "fast pass" so you don't have to wait in line anymore. You are treated like royalty. It really was like being in a fairy tale.

You know that when you get to the airport. There's no "fast pass" to get through the metal detectors, employees are tired and irritable, planes are delayed, and our luggage didn't arrive home! Welcome back to reality.

The magic of Disney is fun but it is not real. Like all magic it is illusion. Disney runs an excellent corporation and a vacation is designed to allow us to escape and enjoy our time together with family but ultimately it must come to an end.

The Magic Kingdom. There is a kingdom that is perfect, is no illusion, and never ends. Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." John 18:36,37. It is that kingdom which Christ taught his disciples to pray for in the Lord's prayer: "Our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven..."

It is the power of that kingdom that enables us to move mountains with the faith of a mustard seed. We can go before the throne of the King of kings and ask for anything in His name and He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine because of his power at work in us. That may seem like magic but it is very real. Simon the Sorcerer saw the real power of prayer instead of his demonic magic and he wanted that power but could not possess it because it is provided only to those who have faith and are called according to God's purpose.

James tell us "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced crops." James 5:17-18.

I told my boys about the above passage while we were at Disney. Daniel knows he was named after a great man of prayer in the Bible and both he and Joseph are good prayers. Our weather report called for rain every day. We prayed together on Tuesday that it would not rain and it did not rain, but it was really hot, so Daniel suggested we pray that it be a little cooler as well. On Wednesday we prayed for this and that the rain would hold off until the evening and it was much cooler and the rain did hold off until evening. On Thursday we prayed for some rain because we were doing things inside but prayed that it would "not be too much" - Daniel's words and it rained a little but not too much. On Friday the reports were of tropical storm Allison and for a 100% chance of rain, but we prayed that it would not rain until we finished our day and it did not rain until we were walking to the bus to go home and the moment we were under the shelter it poured like crazy.

Now I am not saying that my sons and I can control the weather because we cannot. We cannot perform a magic rain dance but we serve a God who does control the weather and sometimes he chooses to answer our prayers immediately with a "yes". More often he answers prayers with a "wait" so we can learn to depend on him and sometimes he answers prayers with a "no" for reasons that are his own. He is God. It is a joy to pray together and to see God answer prayer. Prayer is not a magic wand, but it is tapping into the power of a Holy God who can perform miracles for a people of faith. May his kingdom come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen!

Posted by Bruce D. Strom
For more information about Administer Justice visit our web site at www.administerjustice.org.