Tag Archives: hope

Letter from Exile #6: Public Prayers for Changing Hearts and Building Hope

October 14th, 2025 |

As a public intellectual, it is difficult not diving into raging waters that mark our social media. I am deeply disturbed by the venomous language and vicious attacks on people that do not agree with one perspective. I have made a vow not to label or libel, rejecting personal attacks in favor of reasoned argument. Friends, this is really hard when vilification and ad hominem attacks are the new normal for so many. When some public figures open their mouths or post, I have visceral reactions. But the world is not a better place when I just share my initial gut feelings (apart from obvious joyful moments or tragedies). Taking time for processing and offering thoughtful responses is how we build a more civil society.

Our charged sociopolitical arena deserves better. Here are two recent prayers that are helping myself and others. These include the ancient practice of examen, where we honestly assess our own hearts.

Come Holy Spirit.

Examine the depths of our hearts and minds.

Remove all conscious and unconscious affections that are contrary to Christ. Excise hatreds, prejudices, and ideological captivity. Fill us with holy love, empowering courage as we stand for truth and prayerfulness as we bless those most opposed to us. We offer our words and works as worship today. Amen.

And again:

Holy and loving Lord, Your Word calls us to hear with a heart ready to obey. Help me hear your inner voice more clearly and receive truth through wise sisters and brothers. Help me clean out the wax of my selfish inclinations. Help me listen well and reflect with humility. Help me filter out the noise of anger and reaction and hear your call to righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In spiritual warfare, evil forces have no weapon against humility. Accusations are fended off as we trust our Advocate Jesus’ grace and walk in a spirit of continual repentance and hope.

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Christmas 2024 Message: Hope Rooted in Love and Truth

December 18th, 2024 |

The recent election in the USA represents renewed political and social hope for some and deeply disconcerting signs for others. In this essay, I am foregoing political commentary and focusing on the deeper needs and hopes of humankind. We do not elect messiahs or monarchs, and the last half-century serves as a warning that no person or party contains all we need for a flourishing future.

Christmas is about divine humility and hope, as God becomes one of us forever in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Our identity, purpose, and flourishing begin with love and reverence for the Lord, followed by alignment with God’s principles. The message of Christianity is not self-improvement, but a new creation. Jesus is not a guru, he is God. Cries for justice are heard by the Almighty, and we can be partners with the Lord is bringing much good to our world.

From federal budgets to global hotspots, from sexual anarchy in the post-modern West to totalitarian rule in many places, our world is filled with crises. Serious peacemaking efforts are welcome, but sustainable shalom must include changes in the human heart as well as military and political action. The moral chaos we see around us will only change when there is a recommitment to enduring truth that is beyond our momentary feelings and thoughts.

Here are some applications of Christmas love and truth for our world:

  • “Be a good person” is only possible when goodness is rooted in the unchanging character of God.
  • “My truth” must be exchanged for the pursuit of the truth.
  • “Toleration” must again be understood as living peaceably with our differences, not celebrating every opinion.
  • “Democracy” means little without ethical first principles that are shared by citizens. The American experiment is representative governance with protections for all citizens, not the rule of a current 51%.
  • “Disinformation” is a term used historically by totalitarian states to limit access to all ideas and information. Freedom includes hearing and reading things we do not like. “Consensus” can be a slippery term and must not be used to stifle inquiry.  “Everyone knows” or “97% of scientists say” deserve examination.
  • “Make America Great Again” is a popular political phrase, but it must be tempered with the reality that there are no good old days – just good people in old days.

The King who comes to us in a creche calls us to seek the glory of God and the good of others before our own temporal pleasures or personal ambitions. My prayer for each reader, for the USA, and for the nations is that the “good news of great joy” shared with shepherds will reach every barrio and hamlet, every migrant procession and refugee camp, every penthouse suite and mansion, every home and the homeless, and when received, change the trajectory of each person and community that embraces the Messiah.

Merry Christmas and thank you for reading and reflecting with me as we aim for a free and virtuous world.

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Hopeful Realism for 2024, Part 2

January 24th, 2024 |

As we look ahead to 2024 and beyond, I hope that all of us can be hopeful and realistic so that we can achieve more than we thought possible, and we can weather the unexpected with grace. Here are some more observations for the year ahead:

Realism: Social media will continue captivating and ensnaring far too many people, draining creativity and energy.

Hope: May we spend more time with family and friends, learn to use a fountain pen, read printed books, and enjoy the outdoors without a phone in hand.

Hopeful realism: May we see more reflections than reactions and more conversations over mere condemnations.

Realism: Jews and Christians will continue facing severe persecution globally, with little notice from non-religious leaders or neighbors.

Hope: People of conscience will realize that each of us must desire and protect for others the liberties we expect for ourselves.

Hopeful realism: Many will consider becoming Christians or renewing their faith as they recognize the cohesiveness and compassion of Jesus. And many Christians will appreciate the Jewish roots of our faith for the first time.

Realism: The American and global economy will continue struggling as significant adjustments take place due to poor planning, risky investments, and changes in labor and production.

Hope: We will see some improvements in interest rates and job growth, due to normal developments and the results of the political desires of investors.

Hopeful realism: As local and state governments face realities, some will wisely tighten their belts and thoughtfully allocate resources, while removing barriers to business expansion.

And finally, your humble author believes that we are on the cusp of a spiritual awakening that will overflow into neighborhoods and nations as people not only have religious encounters in church, but kindly and thoughtfully serve their families, colleagues, and friends as a thank you to the grace of God. For such love in action, some will face persecution. But the pressures of opponents will only increase their fortitude, and once again, we will see the goodness of God on display.

May we all be hopeful realists, with greater expectations of what God can do, sober awareness of our own shortcomings, and a willingness to extend ourselves to others.

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Hopeful Realism for 2024, Part 1

January 11th, 2024 |

Every new year begins with forecasts and predictions for the coming months. Some of these are thoughtful prognostications rooted in good research and reflection. Other are subjective guesses, offered as clickbait in a fantastical or fatalistic spirit. In this essay, I want to offer some pithy statements to stimulate thoughtfulness and ethical action. In a world awash with extremes, I hope these will encourage hearts and empower creativity.

Realism: We will continue seeing President Trump hounded by his enemies and his supporters labeled as extremists.

Hope: Both parties will offer alternatives to the current and previous administrations.

Hopeful realism: Perhaps we can debate important issues like the budget, immigration, foreign policy, and a balanced view of the environment.

Realism: Gender anarchists will continue advocating for unsafe procedures on minors and insist that identity is purely subjective.

Hope: Thoughtful people are waking up to the destructive narcissism and big pharma influences on impressionable young people.

Hopeful realism: Permitting adults (on their dime) to modify and express their identity is part of a free society. At the same time, parents must retain final authority in caring for their children.

Realism: Israel will be criticized regardless of her military or political actions by intersectional radicals that think she is an oppressor of Palestinians.

Hope: Thoughtful folks will see that Israel wants peace with her neighbors. This is only possible with a new generation of Arab leaders willing to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist as the national home of the Jewish people.

Hopeful realism: Israel will win the current conflict and will establish security measures, allow aid to flow, and attempt to welcome a peaceful solution for both Gaza and the West Bank.

Realism: Colleges and universities will face further reckonings concerning true freedom of ideas and speech.

Hope: Educational leaders will restore the true exchange of ideas and not allow agitators to veto presentations.

Hopeful realism: We will continue seeing older institutions refuse to change their ways while new, entrepreneurial ones find success.

We will continue exploring the future in the next essay. Here is some food for thought as we step forward this year. Let’s reject fatalism (“Nothing will change…”) and fantasy (Everything will be wonderful…”)  and choose faith, hope, and love as our dispositions and discover a future filled with unexpected delights, inexplicable challenges, and increasing wisdom.

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Christmas Reflection: The Divine Embrace

December 20th, 2022 |

Faithful Christians and thoughtful spiritual seekers are rightly in awe of the truth of the Incarnation: in Jesus of Nazareth, God forever becomes human. This is what billions celebrate each year: the Savior of the world comes to us in the innocence and vulnerability of a baby.

Jesus Christ was born…to die. His human growth, adult work as a carpenter, and Messianic public ministry all matter as he unveils the divine life of a human being and the human life of God. Jesus’s words and works – forgiving, delivering, healing and reconciling – all serve as models of life in God’s kingdom. But the most important act in this this drama is found in the Passion: Jesus voluntarily submitting himself to injustice, unspeakable agony, and a cruel death by crucifixion. This pathway had – and still has – a purpose: our salvation. In the hours of agony on Good Friday, our Lord represented all of humankind and was our mediator, our representative as he took on all our sins and sorrows, sufferings and unanswered questions. And death did not have the final word as we celebrate the Lord’s bodily resurrection on Easter morning!

The Bible offers four portraits of our Lord.

For Matthew, Jesus is forever our Immanuel – the With-Us-God (Matthew 1:22-23). And in his resurrection on Easter, we see our future on display: body and spirit transformed and assurance of our eternity in God’s presence (Matthew 28). Jesus comes with a new revelation of God’s presence, authority, and teaching, declaring God’s kingdom and demonstrating God’s grace (Matthew 5-7 and 8-9)

For Mark, Jesus is the Sovereign who demonstrates his authority through humility, and his power through serving (Mark 10:45). Everything the Lord asks of his followers he has done as a human being! Even though his followers are slow to grasp all of this, he patiently loves them and calls them to service.

For Luke, Jesus is the Savior of all humankind: Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, women and men, and everyone from every culture, ethnicity, and race that humbly calls on him for mercy (Luke 1-2; 7, 18-19, 24). Women are welcomed alongside men in Jesus’s inner circle (Luke 8).

For John, The One who is the Eternal Word made flesh (God becoming a human being in the womb of Mary), offers all who believe eternal and overflowing life (John 3:16; 10:10). The key that unlocks this is active believing – authentic trust in who he is and in what he has done through the cross and resurrection (John 20:31).

May our Christmas be filled with gratitude for grace, hope rooted in holy love, and love flowing from the fact that we love God because he first loved us.

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