A Prayer About Peace (Shalom)
Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. James 3:18
Gracious Father, it’s the day on our calendar that now has its own dark branding,”9/11.” There have been many days in the history of mankind which stand out as seminal reminders of just how pervasively the shalom, the peace-the good, the true and the beautiful of the original creation have been violated and broken. But in my lifetime, none has been more graphic and egregious than “9/11”.
As I remember that day of terror and deeply grieve, I remember you, Lord Jesus, and rejoice with an even greater joy and intense hope! For you, Jesus, are the Prince of Peace-the one who has come to make all things new-to restore broken things-to bring new creation delight from old creation decay!
You are the quintessential Peacemaker-whose very life and death was a sowing of peace to secure an eternal harvest of righteousness-the right aligning of all things, the reordering of the way all things are supposed to be, and WILL be! Because of who you are, Jesus, and what you have already accomplished, and what you are presently doing, one Day there will be no more “death, mourning, crying or pain” (Rev. 21:4).
There will be no terror, or tares or tears. There will be no more brokenness or even broken-down-ness; no more heartaches or even heartburn; no more human trafficking, or even human tooth decay; no more war, or even worry; no more evil, or even envy; no more poverty, or even pouting; no more injustice, or even “jawing”, no more “not yet,” “not enough” or “not now”!
Thus, our labors in you, King Jesus, are not in vain. Because of you, we can and must live as peacemakers, sowing the peace of the gospel of the kingdom, with the absolute assurance that a harvest of righteousness is being raised and will be reaped!
We praise you that your name is Redeemer, Reconciler, Restorer! We cry out REAL loud, “Maranatha!” Come, Lord Jesus, come! Until that Day, give us all the mercy, grace and peace we need for this day. So very amen we pray, with joy and hope.
