December 13, 2020 Peace Moment
For 12/13/20 Prayer for Peace (from Worship Helps) and Peace Moment with introduction
Introduction
Each week during Advent and beyond we will hear a Peace Moment in addition to the prayer for peace. Hopefully you will be blessed with these devotional thoughts. This week’s Peace Moment is by Claudia Schooler.
Bring Good News
The opening words of the 61st chapter of Isaiah should sound familiar. These were the verses Jesus read from the scroll as he stood in the synagogue in Nazareth to announce his ministry. (Luke 4:18,19) It’s really more of a mission statement. If we believe that Christ’s mission is our mission (Doctrine and Covenants 164:9d-f), then these challenges and promises also apply to us.
You are sent to bring good news to the oppressed;
The Spirit of the Lord is upon you.
Bind up the brokenhearted;
The Spirit of God goes before you.
Proclaim liberty to the captives. Release the prisoners;
The Spirit of the Lord will empower you.
Comfort all who mourn. Give them a garland of flowers instead of ashes;
God’s spirit will attend you.
Help them to build up, raise up, and repair from devastation;
The Spirit of the Lord will sustain you.
With them, you will greatly rejoice in the Lord and God’s covenant. All who see you shall acknowledge that you all are a people whom the Lord has blessed.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as life springs up in a garden, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations
(Adapted from Isaiah 61)
Let the Spirit of the Lord be upon you, and give you peace and stamina for the task.
Prayer for Peace
Light the Peace Candle.
Prayer
Yahweh Shalom,
Many in our world experience daily stress, distress and even devastation. Many things often seem out of our control. If we are to be honest, we sometimes find ourselves crying out, “God, where are you in all of this?” Still our minds so that we may hear the beating of our hearts.
In the rhythm of our collective heartbeats allow us to hear you whisper, “I am here. The peace you seek lies within each of you.” You, Lord, are shalom. Help us to acknowledge your presence within us. Lead us to speak words and act in ways that bring comfort, provide relief, ignite hope, and facilitate peace so that our lives may mirror the Prince of Peace, in whose name we pray. Amen.