Devotional thoughts tagged as: 'peace'
Prayer for our National Leaders
Let us pray.
Be with our national leaders, O Lord. Give them courage to face the truth, prudence to make sound judgments and a willingness to work for a strong government. We want to be your agents for peace in the world — not a peace based on military parity alone, but one based on harmony and justice for people everywhere. Help us be strong and alert in the face of threats to our security, help us to keep alive the vision of a world in which all people are free from political and economic oppression, free to celebrate their unity as your daughters and sons — children bound together in your love. We offer prayer in gratitude for the many gifts you have given us, especially the gift of freedom. Amen.
Leadership in War and in Peace
Let's focus on 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 for our devotional thought.
It is difficult for one person to provide leadership in war and in peace.
The people of Israel felt the need for strong leadership. They lacked unity and enemies wanted to destroy them. David had shown ability to lead men in battle. The people reasoned David should be able to lead the country like an army. Their belief proved correct. However, it is incorrect to assume the same kind of leadership called for in war will be effective in peace.
The United States has had to enlist military heroes such as president. George Washington. He was an effective general and politician. Ulysses S. Grant was not. His administration was noted for corruptions and bad choices. Dwight D. Eisenhower was mediocre as a politician.
General MacArthur while never elected to political office showed himself to be both a great General and a strong administrator of the country of Japan in the post war years.
Choose your leaders carefully understanding we all are human and very much flawed by our sin.
Troubled Hearts
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you;
not as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 14:27
True spiritual peace begins within our hearts and shows itself in our actions about how we treat other people. In this world there are many people with points of view different from our own. Some of these points of view can be quite radical.
How do we deal with people who are not like us? If we look at the 12 disciples who followed Jesus we may learn something to apply to our lives. You had a terrorist, a tax collector and a couple of wealthy brothers who made up the disciples of Jesus.
Take time to study the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ because I believe they can teach us something today about receiving the peace which passes all human understanding.
Free of Fear
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.
—
John 14:27
Prayer is the foundation of all peacemaking because through prayer we realize we do not belong to this world. We can say, we are for peace, only when we are not anchored in this world. Or when those you are fighting have no power over us. We can bear witness to the prince of peace only when our trust is in him and him alone.
Peacemakers: A Full-Time Vocation
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
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Matthew 5:9
As peacemakers we are all called to say, think and dream about how we might bring peace to this world. None of us is excused from being a peacemaker. It is not something limited to specialists who are competent in political and military matters, or to radicals who have dedicated themselves to demonstrating and civil disobedience. The undeniable vocation of each Christian is to be a peacemaker. Peacemaking is a full time vocation for all God's people. We must follow Jesus, who was the greatest peacemaker of all.