Peace: Prayer of Peace (Week of Dec 6)
What?
Every day, pray that the peace of Christ would bring rest to your soul and stillness to our chaotic world.
Why?
God created the world in shalom — peace, wholeness, order, flourishing. But our sin has broken that peace, sowing chaos and discord in every person’s heart and across every culture. Although we long for God’s original state of affairs, only Jesus, through his perfect sacrifice for sin, establishes a lasting peace that endures all trials (John 16:33), breaks down all hostility (Ephesians 2:13-17), and surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
How?
As it is for most spiritual disciplines, it helps to choose a consistent time and place each day. This may be a time of prayer alone or with those in your household, spoken or written, your own words or the words of another.
As you pray for God’s peace personally, name specific things that cause disharmony in your life: sins, anxieties, ailments, doubts, etc. Ask the Spirit of God to fill you with his presence on a continual basis that you might radiate the peace of Christ.
As you pray for God’s peace to bring healing to our world, name specific sources of brokenness and discord. Pray for the lost, the hurting, the imprisoned, and the poor. Pray for our elected leaders, appointed officials, and all civil servants. Pray against tribalism and hatred but for reconciliation and unity. Pray against injustice, violence, and lies. Pray for wisdom in dealing with the pandemic. Ask the Holy Spirit to open spiritual eyes and renew sinful hearts that the grace and love of Jesus might flood the world.
To deepen your longing for the peace of Christ, consider reading or praying through these passages of Scripture:
Psalm 39:7-13; 42-43; 72:1-14; 85
Ezekiel 34:25-31; 37:24-28
John 14:25-31; 16:33
Romans 5:1-11
Ephesians 2:13-17
Philippians 4:4-9
Colossians 1:19-22
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
