Lutheran Metro Ministry

In my daily devotions, I encountered this anonymous piece of thoughts on the Lord’s Prayer. It struck me as appropriate given my following thoughts.

• I cannot pray Our, if my faith has no room for others and their need.
• I cannot pray Father, if I do not demonstrate this relationship to God in my daily living.
• I cannot pray who art in heaven, if all of my interests and pursuits are in earthly things.
• I cannot pray hallowed be thy name, if I am not striving, with God’s help, to be holy.
• I cannot pray thy kingdom come, if I am unwilling to accept God’s rule in my life.
• I cannot pray thy will be done, if I am unwilling or resentful of having it in my life.
• I cannot pray on earth as it is in heaven, unless I am truly ready to give myself to God’s service here and now.
• I cannot pray give us this day our daily bread, without expending honest effort for it, or if I would withhold from my neighbor the bread that I receive.
• I cannot pray forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, if I continue to harbor a grudge against anyone.
• I cannot pray lead us not into temptation, if I deliberately choose to remain in a situation where I am likely to be tempted.
• I cannot pray deliver us from evil, if I am not prepared to fight evil with my life and my prayer.
• I cannot pray thine is the kingdom, if I am unwilling to obey the King.
• I cannot pray thine is the power and the glory, if I am seeking power for myself and my own glory first.
• I cannot pray forever and ever, if I am to anxious about each day’s affairs.
• I cannot pray Amen, unless I honestly say, “Cost what it may, this is my prayer.”

I continue to struggle with decisions that have been made in our communities and states that claim to address issues of immigration reform. I am having a hard time seeing the actions taken by our communities and states as reform. Reform suggests to me that changes are being made to improve the circumstances and issues’ surrounding whatever is in need of reform.

Clearly, our broken immigration system is in need of reform. We have two signs on our borders. “No Trespassing” and “Help Wanted.” Our current system provides for 5,000 visas per year for unskilled workers. However, we have the need for 150,000 unskilled workers. Something needs to be reformed in this mixed message.

If you are a US citizen and wish to have a family member (spouse, unmarried child under 21 or a parent) allowed to join you in this country, you have a morass of legal work and a seven year wait. I can’t imagine the toll this takes on an individual let alone the composite stress on a family. Reform is clearly needed.

If you have overstayed your visa and are subject to deportation and are deported, you cannot apply to return for ten years, no exceptions. How does that work for mothers separated from children, for example? Reform is clearly needed. A fix is needed so that we do not continue to break people.

Our Hebrew and Christian scriptures clearly indicate that “all are made in the image of God.” If my brother or sister, with a different skin color, is made in the image of God, how should I be treating them? How should I be talking about them? The language that has become the basis of discussion is language that seems to demean or even demonize the other. How is this honoring of God’s creation? Reform is clearly needed.

I am not suggesting that we simply turn a blind eye toward this issue but there are some things that I believe ought to be at the basis of our efforts toward reform. Jesus was always trying to shape the inclinations of the people’s heart. How might we be involved in shaping the inclinations of people’s hearts in this matter?

Some principles that make sense to me:

1. A call for enforcement initiatives that is consistent with humanitarian values.
2. Advocating for reform in our family-based immigration system that reduces waiting times for separated families.
3. The establishment of a process for all immigrant workers and their families already in the US to earn citizenship upon satisfaction of specific criteria.
4. Expansion of the legal avenues for workers and families to enter the country and work in a safe and legal manner with their rights and due process fully protected.
5. A call for solutions to address the root causes of migration, such as economic disparities between sending and receiving nations.

Paul says in Philippians 4:6, “In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God.” I pray that the anxiety and fear that is felt within our communities and country might give way to reasoned thinking and a reshaping of our hearts in order that our laws are in keeping with our moral and ethical values.

I also pray that we will advocate for these types of principles and that we will use language that respects the dignity and image of all in the sight of God.

Rev. Dr. Damon D. Laaker, Director, Lutheran Metro Ministry