Love and Prayer for Our Nation - What Does it Mean?

Dear Beloveds,

We hope that all of you will have a restful and reflective weekend as we celebrate July 4th on Monday. What does it mean to have love for country and to pray for our nation?

In this vein, I would like to share with you a prayer from a book, Talking to God, that I have been enjoying by the Rabbi Naomi Levy. I have used this book this past year after it was recommended to me by a friend at the Cedars-Sinai chaplaincy program.

In it, Rabbi Levy says this:

“God has endowed every single one of us with enormous power. God has entrusted us with a fragile, precious world. We have learned well how to wield our strength to cause tremendous devastation. But God is praying that we will finally learn how to utilize our strengths and to take full custody of our world; that we will learn well how to produce a time of unprecedented blessing.”

Here is an excerpt of the prayer she wrote for peace in our country:

“Let us live in peace, God… Let children live in peace… let them go to school in peace, let them play in peace… let men and women go to work in peace… God, protect us in the air, on the seas, along whatever road we take. Let nations dwell together in peace... Help us God, teach all people of all races and faiths, in all the countries all over the works, to believe that the peace that seems so far off is in fact within our reach... Amen."

With Great Love For You,

Pastor Grace