Prince of Peace

While we are safe in our homes, enjoying family, warmth and care, our hearts cry out to God for those in conflict and disaster, full of fear, hurting, dying, with lives shattered and hearts torn with grief and without hope, in places all over our world. How can we pray for them?

All people want peace in every area of life, but peace will only come when the Prince of Peace comes. Jesus has promised to return to the Mount of Olives and we are told to look for His coming, to be ready for His appearing, as a bride is ready for her bridegroom. This hope and expectation of His coming purifies us.

We know the time is drawing near, although no one knows the exact day, but we can pray for these desperate situations with this hope uppermost in our minds. We can pray that the Spirit of God would cause people to cry out to the Lord, for He has promised to hear the cry of their hearts. We can pray for governments and kings that they would turn their hearts to God. We can ask the Holy Spirit to show us how to pray in line with God’s will.

Personally, we can only have peace in our own hearts and minds when the Prince of Peace reigns in our lives and we can only have peace in our time and in our world when Christ returns to reign on the earth. The road to peace can only conclude with this glorious event. Wherever Christ reigns in the hearts of men they experience a peace and unity that is unrivalled, whatever their background.

The first Christmas the angels sang ‘Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth Peace, goodwill toward men’ (Luke 2:14). I was interested to see that the song that was voted top of the charts in the UK last Christmas was ‘Hallelujah!’ (a word in Hebrew which means ‘Praise the Lord!’). I praise the Lord and say ‘Hallelujah’ for peace of mind and heart that is beyond all understanding.

Prayer: Father, Thank You for sending the Prince of Peace to us. We cry out to You for those in conflict and distress. Have mercy on this fallen world. Even so, Come Lord Jesus, Come. Amen.