Day 4/October 28 Devotion

Reflection by the Rev. Karen Brau
Senior Pastor at Luther Place
in Washington D.C.

When the Covid-19 pandemic arrived, the congregation I serve, Luther Place, began offering a Compline service on Facebook live, 4 times per week at 9pm. Then the pandemic of ongoing police brutality and systemic racism towards black bodies was illuminated as we watched George Floyd die while pinned on the ground by a police officer, while others looked on. The pandemics rage on and on, and we have prayed Compline for over 30 weeks. Night after night one of the lines we chant is a pleading to God, Keep me as the apple of your eye, hide me in the shadow of your wings. Repeating this line over and over helps us to remember God’s presence in, with and among our neighbors who are suffering and dying in our uncertain days. And each night when I close out the time of prayer, I remind the gathered, You are beloved by God. May we all receive this grace.

Psalm 17:8

“Keep me as the apple of your eye, hide me in the show of your wings.”

Questions to Ponder

1. Does God “keeping us,” and “hiding us,” make a difference in how we practice “neighbor love,” particularly towards our most vulnerable neighbors?
2. At what points does your “neighbor love,” intersect with your civic responsibility and engagement in democracy?

Silence for Reflection