TUESDAY, October 5

Psalm 120. How hateful it is that I must lodge in Meshech and dwell among the tents of Kedar!

Meshech is in modern day Turkey and Kedar refers to Arabia. This year we had an exchange student from Turkey living with us. We did not do this by plan. I always thought having an exchange student would be nice, but too much responsibility to add into our already hectic lives. However, Murat needed to change homes in the middle of the year and he had become a friend of one of our sons through soccer. This quiet, stoic student changed our view of the world.

Turkey is no longer a foreign country to us. There is a person named Murat whom we love now living there. As American troops are now being sent to the Middle East, I not only fear for my sons’ being involved in a conflict, but I fear for Murat and his country’s border with Iraq. If only we could think in terms of persons and families in other countries instead of troops and arms. We also realized through Murat what a difference one person can make in our world view. (1992)

PRAY for the Diocese of Ihiala (Province of Niger, Nigeria)

Ps [120], 121, 122, 123 * 124, 125, 126, [127]; Micah 1:1-9; Acts 23:12-24; Luke 7:1-17

View the daily Lectionary Readings at Satucket.com.
Or view the Bible passages at Biblegateway.com.

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Oct 05, 2010 at 12:18 am

Written by Steve Doutt,

How true this is. When we get to know someone our eyes are opened.

Psalm of Peace

Oct 05, 2010 at 6:58 am

Written by Stephen,

The Psalm reminds me of how hard it is to wage peace. I cannot get over the useless devastation we caused in Iraq because a few men thought we could change the face of the world by might. "Shock and awe", how disgusting! Millions displaced, 10's of thousands of innocents dead, wounded, homeless. Christians gone, human rights gone. We as a nation must be ashamed. Like Psalm 120 those who objected were derided and shunned. I pray for our leaders everyday, but I also know that we as a people have little knowledge of what we have done to others. We think we suffer here,but most of us have no idea except our own service people who also suffer our politicians schemes.Let us not continue in this hatred and fear that is the leverage some of our leaders have used to wage war both here and abroad.

War, what good is it?

Oct 05, 2010 at 7:04 am

Written by Norman,

The author of today's meditation says, "If only we could think in terms of persons and families in other countries instead of in terms of troops and arms." This reflects what the Psalmist says in 120 verses 6 and 7,
I have spent to much time
living among people who hate peace.
I am in favour of peace,
but when I speak of it,
they all want war. (CEV)

"All" in our society, of course, do not want war but those who mistakenly see it as a solution to how we frequently deal with the rest of the world have the loudest voices.

...

Oct 05, 2010 at 8:21 am

Written by Barbara Summers,

I hate war and the death and destruction it brings. My father almost died in WWII, and my uncle and my husband's uncle died in that war. However, if we had not fought WWII, the monster Hitler would have continued to spread his evil power--Neville Chamberlain proved that negotiation and reason didn't work with such a madman--and Hitler would have continued his "Final Solution" and the extermination of my people, the Jews. (I am a Messianic Jew.)

Being peace

Oct 05, 2010 at 8:28 am

Written by Merry,

These passionate and eloquent statements give me hope that we as a nation can turn away from relating to our beliefs as something we must fight for and even kill for ... We can, by simply living as peaceful beings, change the way we perceive and are perceived -- as Murat did -- and bring peace to the world, one person, one family at a time. We must believe this is possible.

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