“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.” ~ Soren Kierkegaard
Memorial Day, as Decoration Day gradually came to be known, originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But during World War I, the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict. The holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars, including World War II, The Vietnam War, The Korean War, and Iraq and Afghanistan.¹
Did you know? Each year on Memorial Day, a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 p.m. local time.²
Memorial Day is a day of reflection and remembering how lucky we are to have the freedom we share. There is a high cost for liberty; it means somebody has to lose, and most likely, people will suffer severe injury or possibly death. If we trace our ancestors, we all have people in our lineage who have served our country, and many perished during war times. It a tragic scene to receive that phone call, a knock at the door, or a letter in the mail notifying you that someone you love is no longer alive, having served their country. Will there ever come a day when the violence and killing ends?
People all around the world continually pray for peace, especially in turbulent areas like the Middle East. Is praying for peace enough? Does God expect more from humanity than persistent prayer? If the Bible reveals anything about the character of God, it’s that God desires justice, righteousness, and peace/shalom. Does this mean “no justice, no peace?” How do we spiritually define peace, e.g., the absence of violence? If the lack of violence is the key to becoming a peacemaker, prayer is only part of the calling in our lives. We must take the lead as peacemakers if we genuinely want the Kingdom of God to reign on earth as it is in heaven. Hopefully, through our prayers for peace, the nature of our hearts is transformed, and we all become peacemakers.
God of righteousness, justice, and peace, we pray for the transformation of our hearts. Please remove the desire for conflict and war from our souls, and replace it with the nature of peacemakers. Your passion for peace is compromised by our desire for power, wealth, glory, and prestige. God, grant us the honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness it will take for us to trust Your plans of restoring the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. A Kingdom that is free of war, hatred, bloodshed, loss, and despair. We know it’s possible because You tell us so in Your written Word to the world. We pray for peace and to become peacemakers. In Your Spirit and Name, we pray these things. May Your will not ours always materialize, now and forever. Amen.
Image by Candice Seplow / www.unsplash.com
Leave a Reply