Freerange Friday: Praying the Knots

by Lilly Lewin

by Lilly Lewin and Pam Smith

A couple of weeks ago, the gospel reading was Mark 5: 21-43.
This passage includes the story of Jesus and the woman with the issue of blood. This woman was an outcast from Jewish community due to her illness, and had suffered over twelve years with her ailment. In an act of faith, she reached out and touched the “hem of His garment” and was instantly healed. The woman touched the hem/edge of his cloak, perhaps it was the tassel on his prayer shawl. The Tassel, the Tzitzit, the Knot! This woman believed if she could just touch the knots of Jesus’s prayer shawl she would no longer suffer.

Like the woman, our world has been suffering for a long time with division, distrust, racism, hatred and fear. All in need of the healing of Jesus. And there is suffering around the world that feels overwhelming. What is on our heart to pray for for our country and our world? What areas of suffering do you want to see healed? Ask God to show you how you can be a part of the healing and spend some time praying for area/people group etc.

During thinplaceNashville, we made prayer ropes with knots to remind us to pray during the week for places that needed healing in our lives and in our country.

During our journaling time, Pam Smith, wrote this beautiful poem on knots that she graciously shared with us. Along with being a member of our thinplace community, Pam is the senior pastor of First Lutheran Church here in Nashville,

What are the knots in your life? Make a prayer rope and use it to help you pray this week.

KNOTS by Pam Smith

We are a knotted up people
Knotted in pain
Knotted in worry
Knotted in anger

Other knots call us
knots on a tallit
knots on a tzitzit
knots on 4 corners of something
knots of Torah
knots of life

Tie a knot and hang on

Knots large
large enough
enough to require attention

Attention to the knottiness
surrounding us

As we are drawn into the very knot of
our
very
selves

And from this knot
we cannot free our selves

Each attempt tightens
the cords around us.

Like a twisted knotted chain of gold
lain on a table

The gentle touches and tugs and prying
of the hand of God
creates spaces
in the knottiness

Spirit moves in the spaces

Ruach

Breath

Life-giving breath

And there is release
and calm
and quiet
and strength

Together
a cord of three strands
not quickly torn apart.

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