What words does the image of sitting under a vine or a fig tree bring to your mind? God, through Micah, envisions a time when conflict and war will be over and everyone will be at peace.
Many people are displaced because of international war or internal civil conflicts. These people are forced to live in camps. We are all familiar with the terrible conditions in Darfur, Sudan, and other refugee camps around the world.
If peace and resulting secure housing are a part of God’s vision, what, if anything, might God’s people do to end war and the need for refugee camps? What, if anything, might God’s people do to help people return to the security of home?
Today, pray for the people of Iraq, Afganistan, Syria, Burma, Sudan and other nations at war who have lost their homes or been displaced a a result of war.
For Further Prayer and Reflection
On May 20-21, 2012, leaders of over 50 nations will gather in Chicago for the 2012 NATO summit. According to NATO’s website, the main focus of the meetings will be to set strategy for maintaining security in Afganistan once NATO forces are withdrawn. These strategic meetings will result in real policies for our government that will guide decisions and actions of the Defense Department, the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security. Pray that these leaders will be guided by the principles of justice rather than the myth of redemptive violence.
Tongue on Fire 