If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
Romans 12: 18 NRSV
Like many of you, the violence which occurred yesterday in our nation’s capital greatly saddened me, and greatly concerned me.
As Christians, we are called to live in peace with all people, even those with whom we disagree. This call from God is not always easy, but it must be heeded if we are to truly follow the one called the “Prince of Peace.”
When Jeana and I toured the Holy Land a few years ago, our tour leader would sometimes refer to Christians as “people of peace.” He would use this phrase to signify that being peace-loving, and being a peacemaker, is one of the primary distinguishing marks for Christians.
While all of the chaos was going on in our nation’s capital yesterday, the new chaplain of the House of Representatives, Rev. Margaret Grun Kibben, a retired Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy’s Chaplain Corps, was reportedly praying on the house floor. As Christians, our most powerful weapon is prayer, second only to the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
Armed with God’s word, and undergirded with prayer, we have the tools to wage peace in this conflicted world.
We may sometimes feel helpless when there is conflict, division, and violence in the world. Yet with the Lord on our side, the power of prayer is a masterful tool we can use to shine a little light, and to bring a little peace into our world. May it be so!
Prayer
Lord of all peace,
As I look out from my home at the world, the actions of others feel foreign to me. The rage and hurt that sometimes floods our streets seems unfathomable. Help me to remember that you are in control. Yet at the same time, you have given us freedom to make our choices. Forgive me if I am part of the problem, and not the solution. Help me to be a light where there is darkness, and an example of peace to others.
With a tender heart I pray these words in the name of Your Son, the Prince of Peace. Amen
