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September 14, 2022

God’s Community

Layton E. Williams   |   Read Psalm 79:1-9

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Lectionary Week
September 12–18, 2022
Scripture Overview

Jeremiah, “the weeping prophet,” grieves for the plight of his people. They have provoked God’s judgment by following foreign gods, and now there is no comfort to be found. The psalmist cries out to God from a similar situation of despair. Foreign nations have overrun the land, destroyed Jerusalem, and killed many of its people. The psalmist cries out to God for compassion and restoration. The author of First Timothy gives his readers two commands. They should pray for and honor their leaders, and they should be faithful to the one true God, with whom they have a relationship through Christ Jesus. Jesus in Luke tells a strange parable about a dishonest manager who is commended for his shrewd business sense, but Jesus turns his story into a teaching about good stewardship.

Questions and Suggestions for Reflection

Read Jeremiah 8:18–9:1. When have you called out to God in distress?
Read Psalm 79:1-9. As you search for solutions to life’s problems, how do you demonstrate God’s call to love and to justice?
Read 1 Timothy 2:1-7. How do you pray for your local, state or province, and national leaders with whom you agree? with whom you disagree?
Read Luke 16:1-13. How do you negotiate the complexities of Jesus’ call to be a good steward of your resources as you work to serve God rather than money?

Respond by posting a prayer .

Psalm 79:1-9

1 The nations have come into your inheritance, God! They’ve defiled your holy temple. They’ve made Jerusalem a bunch of ruins. 2 They’ve left your servants’ bodies as food for the birds; they’ve left the flesh of your faithful to the wild animals of the earth. 3 They’ve poured out the blood of the faithful like water all around Jerusalem, and there’s no one left to bury them. 4 We’ve become a joke to our neighbors, nothing but objects of ridicule and disapproval to those around us. 5 How long will you rage, LORD? Forever? How long will your anger burn like fire? 6 Pour out your wrath on the nations who don’t know you, on the kingdoms that haven’t called on your name. 7 They’ve devoured Jacob and demolished his pasture. 8 Don’t remember the iniquities of past generations; let your compassion hurry to meet us because we’ve been brought so low. 9 God of our salvation, help us for the glory of your name! Deliver us and cover our sins for the sake of your name!

Unless otherwise indicated, scripture quotations are from the Common English Bible. Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible. Used by permission.

The world seems more divided than ever. Pundits argue on news networks, politicians pit themselves against one another, people attack one another on social media. Even families find themselves at odds. When division is so present, it is easy to see people we disagree with as our enemies. And it...

God, thank you for the love and compassion and mercy you show me. Help me to remember that you love all people and that I am called to do the same. Amen.


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