For April 4, 2021 Prayer for Peace and Peace Moment with introduction
Introduction
Each week we hear a Peace Moment in addition to the prayer for peace. Hopefully all will be blessed with these devotional thoughts.
This week’s Peace Moment is by Deb Crowley.
PEACE MOMENT
Years ago on an Easter Sunday we were resting after a full morning of church activities. Our three-year-old son, Dustin lay on the floor, hands lifted in the air, staring at his palms.
He asked, “Mom, when I die, will the nails hurt?” Not understanding his question I queried further. He replied, “You know, like when they put the nails in Jesus hands and he died. Will it hurt?”
A profound question from a child.
I explained that people don’t usually die from nails pounded in their hands or being hung on a cross. But I began to wonder, as disciples, do we feel the pain of nails wounding our hearts at times?
Some, like Martin Luther King Jr. suffer torturous deaths on behalf of Jesus mission or, like Mother Teresa give their entire lives to serve and suffer on behalf of their fellow beings.
We, in pursuing Christ’s mission are called to serve people in need. We must engage in difficult, heart wrenching situations and conflicts. As our discipleship deepens, we experience pain from the nails of a shared burden, nails of oppression, nails of greed, nails of injustice.
“Yes,” I responded to my son. “Sometimes the nails hurt.” But because of the resurrection, we are healed, strengthened, and receive hope. As we lift up our hands, God reaches down, touches, heals, receives the pain and fills us with peace.
“But he was wounded for our transgressions,
crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole,
and by his bruises we are healed.” Isaiah 53>5 NRSV
Please join me in our prayer for peace.
Easter God
Hallelujah! What hope for peace you provide in the resurrection of your Son!
Like the despairing and scattered disciples after the crucifixion, we sometimes feel that all hope of Christ’s peace is lost. There is so much division in our world –
Between religions and religious people;
Between countries,
Between political viewpoints;
And among neighbors, friends and even family members.
How can we hope for peace?
Then Easter dawns, a new day for hope! Like the early disciples we wonder, “can it be true? Is the peace of Christ still live? Will the living Christ bring unity out of so much division?”
In Easter we hear your resounding “Yes!” And we hear your call to be disciples of peace; the ones who recognize the risen Lord and live and act his peace in the world.
Challenge and lead us in the ways of peace, we pray in the name of the Risen One, Amen.