World Peace
By Adelyn Naidu and Rajini Shanker of Suva, Figi
And you will not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably, and to render to every man according to that which is his due. —Mosiah 2:24
Adelyn shared her poem and Rajini led the Daily Prayer for Peace, which she wrote, at the 2013 World Conference, greeting the congregation with a gentle “Namaste.”
When wars and conflicts finally cease,
in our world, there shall be peace.
People learn to get along,
not label others “right or wrong.”
They fight for power, fight for land,
some just need a helping hand.
We must rid ourselves of vanity,
embrace Christ’s peace for humanity.
Inner peace is what we need
planted within like hopeful seed.
A virtue that is dear to all
can save the world, can stop the fall.
Wars make children so much tougher,
losing innocence while they suffer.
Work with faith for peace instead,
Love, not war, as Jesus said.
—Adelyn Naidu
Prayer for Peace
O God, Creator of all, lover and peacemaker of all, and our protector of all, we thank you for the love and peace you give us each day. Thank you for the peace of our Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit that leads us, and all things you provide each day.
I pray, God, for your people in the Fiji Islands and of the world. May you lead us with peace and guide us with your Holy Spirit to know your will and love. May we be your people and may we know you are our God. Guide us to be kind, gentle, and loving to one another. May the difficulties we face in life be only stepping stones to a better community. Touch our world’s leaders, soften their ears, open their eyes, and allow them to hear our cries. Bring us hope and healing through your love.
O God, may your grace fall upon the people around the world. May the love of Jesus Christ lead us with compassionate hearts on our islands and continents of the world. May we continue to uphold one another to strengthen our community of peace.
Thank you, Lord, for always being with us. I pray this prayer of peace for the people of the world in the name of your son, Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.
—Rajini Shanker
Spiritual Practice: The International Community
Find (or imagine) a globe or map of the world. Look at all the nations and find a country other than your own. Notice the geographic distance between your homeland and this one. Picture a person living there. Pray for this person. Sense God’s love connecting you just as the oceans connect the continents. Thank God for the spiritual connection you have with all of God’s people around the globe. Ask a blessing on the church as a community sharing Christ’s peace, drawing all into the family of God.
Peace Covenant
Today, God, I will remember the first step to peace is to render justice to everyone.
