Praying For God's Peace and The Light Of His Presence With Us

 I really do love to pray along with others as together we come before God.  Geography isn’t the most important thing to God and He does promise:

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.   Matthew 18:20

I believe God comes alongside us during these times of social isolation as we meet online and even though we are on different continents and in different countries, God meets with us. 

So, once again, on Sunday, what has been traditionally known as “The Lord’s Day” we will pray together some familiar prayers that many around the globe are praying before our Father in heaven.  I encourage you to pray aloud with me as we pray or just quietly in your heart, whatever is most comfortable for you.  God knows our thoughts.  He does love our voices so feel free, as I said, to pray aloud.

The Lord’s Prayer – Matthew 6:9-13

Our Father, who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread

And forgive us our trespasses

As we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil,

For thine is the kingdom and the power

And the glory, forever. Amen.

We are told in scripture to be people of peace.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.  Colossians 3:15

And so we pray to be people of peace using the famous Serenity Prayer.

The Serenity Prayer – Reinhold Niebuhr

God, grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I can,

and the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time,

enjoying one moment at a time;

accepting hardship as a pathway to peace;

taking, as Jesus did,

this sinful world as it is,

not as I would have it;

trusting that You will make all things right

if I surrender to Your will;

so that I may be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

Jesus came to earth to secure a way for us to have peace with God.  Now He sends us out to be those who give effective living witness to that strong peace that can overcome all challenges:

Brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.  2 Corinthians 13:11

We pray to be God’s instruments in this endeavour with the words of the familiar prayer of St. Francis of Assisi.

Instrument of Your Peace – St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon

Where there is doubt, faith,

Where there is despair, hope,

Where there is darkness, light,

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much

seek to be consoled as to console,

not so much to be understood as to understand,

not so much to be loved, as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

it is in dying that we awake to eternal life.

Jesus told us He was the light of the world.

Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  John 8:12

We pray to follow Jesus as we live in His light and to be preserved from everything that would seek to deprive us of that light.

God our redeemer, you have delivered us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of your Son: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name, increase in us true faith, nourish us with all goodness, and bring forth in us the fruit of good works. Grant, that as by his death he has recalled us to life, so by his continual presence in us he may raise us to eternal joy,  through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Most loving Father, you will us to give thanks for all things, to dread nothing but the loss of you, and to cast all our care on the One who cares for us. Preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties, and grant that no clouds of this mortal life may hide from us the light of that love which is immortal, and which you have manifested unto us in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 1:3

“And God is able to bless [us] abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that [we] need, [we] will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8

"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26