Peace bookends the biblical story. In the beginning, God shapes a chaotic world, creates a world with life and light and creatures of all kinds, and blesses it with primal shalom. Then God rests to enjoy peace alongside all created things. Skip to the end of the biblical story where John’s Revelation unveils a renewed vision of a world at peace. Creatures, angels, and “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages” stand “before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.” (Revelation 7:9) Together they sing, confess, and cry out with a loud voice, bearing witness to the God who has restored them and all of Creation to wholeness and primal shalom.
Between these two visions of a peaceful world, of course, come innumerable stories of conflict and strife and the long witness to God’s patient work of redemption. East of Eden but this side of Christ’s return, we find ourselves between peaceable times. We are destined for God’s peaceable kingdom, and Jesus calls us to be peacemakers, to join in with God in the work of making all things new. And we catch glimpses of this promised peace as it breaks in even now.
This fall, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) again welcomes you to journey toward World Communion Sunday through A Season of Peace, a four-week devotional designed to help deepen the pursuit of peace for congregations, small groups, families and individuals. This year’s devotional comes at a time of transition. Political upheaval has deepened polarization and political distrust in the United States while also bringing further militarism to our city streets. We deeply need communities of faith who are committed to practicing peace and seeking its flourishing.
And yet the way is difficult and confusing. Where can we look for hope, encouragement and examples of how we might be the peacemakers Jesus calls us to be? This year, we invite you to consider the ordinary saints that have come before and live among us. Each day, the Season of Peace devotional will feature a Presbyterian who has lived in a way that promotes God’s peace and justice. By their example, may we be assured that we can each do something, however great or small, that conforms with God’s long struggle to return primal shalom to all.
Dr. Andrew J. Peterson, Representative for Peacemaking, Office of Public Witness, Interim Unified Agency, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Let us join in prayer for:
PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff:
Gohar Aznauryan, Administrative Assistant, Jinishian Memorial Program, Interim Unified Agency
Katherine Babicz, AVP Financial & Investment Planning Professional, Trust Services, Presbyterian Foundation
Let us pray:
God of grace and peace, give us peace at all times and in all ways. Be with us; guide us that we may not grow weary but yearn and struggle for your peaceable kingdom. Amen.
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