December 20, 2020 Peace Moment
For 12/20/20 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.
Today’s Peace Moment was written by Deb Crowley.
Peace Moment , Dec. 20, 2020
Barbara Howard writes, “The journey of joy begins within. While we are aware of and affected by our external world, the capacity to experience joy comes from the depth of the human spirit.’ (Journey of Joy, p. 15)
Sally stopped in at JOPPA, an organization that services the homeless. She needed warm boots and blankets to keep her warm as she hunkered down in her truck at night. She was delighted with the lap size fleece blanket she received that a gracious donor sewed. There were no boots that fit. I thought of the nice warm pair sitting in my closet that had not been worn in two years.
Sally snuggled the blanket next to her face and cuddled it as if it were the most precious gift on earth. She expressed love for God and the hope and joy she experienced just knowing God was her rock.
Humbled, I returned home, found the boots and sent them to JOPPA hoping they would somehow make their way to Sally.
Later in her book, Barbara states, “Acts of justice unearth a quality of joy found in no other way. Justice clothes in the flesh the joy of peace.” Me we all find joy deep within as we worship the Christ child and live his love in acts of justice and peace.
Prayer for Peace
Lighting of the Peace Candle.
Giver of True Joy,
We come with gratitude in our hearts for your generosity. As we have journeyed through this Advent season, we are keenly aware of your presence. You have steadied our feet along sure paths and assured us of the joy that is lived through you. Many in our world do not know this joy. Their world is darkened by the circumstances of their days.
Remind us to shine the light of your love and compassion. Empower us to share our stories so that others may begin to see the sun’s rays shining through their dense forests. Ignite their souls with the knowledge of your light within them so that their hearts be filled with joy. We pray in the name of your greatest light, Jesus. Amen.