Blessed are the peace-makers?

Lectionary readings for today:
Psalm 119: 97-120; Psalm 78:40-72; Jeremiah 7:21-34; Romans 4:1-12; John 7:14-36

Haiti.

Egypt.

Japan.

Libya.

The world is in rebellion, there are earthquakes and tsunamis and oppression and if I start to think about all the horribleness too much, I can get really depressed. It seems as if there is nothing I can "do" about it. And yet, we are called to "do justice" and to feed the poor and visit the sick and imprisoned. And, one suspects, help people in the rubble from earthquakes though I am pretty sure the Scripture never said that directly.

Nowen tells us that "As long as we imagine and live as if there is no peace in sight, and that it all depends on us to make it come about, we are on the road to self-destruction." Then he goes on to point out that God already has done the hard work of peace and we need to trust Him to work it out.

That does not, in fact, mean that we can just rest on that and not be concerned about the troubles of the world or of our families or of ourselves. And there IS something we can "do" about it: we can pray.

We forget this at times. But prayer is so very powerful. A friend of mine has this to say about prayer.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind be alert and always keep on praying for all of the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:18

I grew up in a tradition that emphasized the personal relationship we had with God and focused on prayer that was mainly about ourselves and for ourselves. This can be good. We need to confess. We need to grow in our understanding of our Saviour. We need times of personal worship and reflection.

But if this is all prayer is, Jesus and me, happy ever after, I think I am missing something.

Something Big.

Prayer not only draws us closer to our Creator and Redeemer, it brings us together as a body. One morning I was praying for the people of Haiti. It hit me. I was not the only one. I was standing with thousands upon thousands of other believer at that very moment, before the Throne of a Holy God interceding on the behalf of others. And while I will not see most of those believers this side of heaven for a moment there was unity that cannot be expressed in words.

Matthew 18:19-20 Again, truly I tell you that if two or three of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my father in Heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.

And I began to truly understand Matthew 18:19-20. It is not necessarily about geography, it’s about intent. It’s a community, scattered about this earth but united by the forgiveness of their sins and the love of a Holy Father.

I’ve got a confession. Until a few years ago I often skipped the parts of the epistles where Paul talked about the people he prayed for and what he prayed. It seemed a bit boring and not all that relevant to me. Not anymore. Now I know it can be a framework. It’s a guide to praying for those who are in community with you right here and around the world.

Prayer is perhaps the most important thing we can do in terms of peace, both personally and world-wide. We are told to pray, even for the peace of Jerusalem. More importantly, though, prayer is the way that we converse with God and develop our relationship with Him. And it is our relationship with Him that brings us peace, peace that we can then share with others.

How do you find time to pray?

Is it harder or easier to pray for yourself or for the world?