The following prayer by Francis of Assisi hangs on my office wall:
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.
These words have special significance as we begin our journey this week with Peacemaker Ministries. So I'm asking everyone at South Park Church to commit to praying the first line of that prayer daily for the next 14 days. Beginning Sunday, April 19, and running through Saturday, May 2, I'm asking you to pray the following words until they get inside of you and change you:
"Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace."
If you want to join this peace movement of prayer, send me a comment. I promise to read every comment that comes in and post some that might prove helpful to others. You can simply leave a note saying you'll be praying. Or you can share more specifically what you hope God will do through our partnership with Peacemaker Ministries.
Shalom.
Eric, I'm in ... just finished praying it and will do so for the coming weeks.
Posted by: Alysa | 04/18/2009 at 09:49 PM
I was expecting more comments than...none. Any who, I'll be praying.
Posted by: Sarah Juern | 04/19/2009 at 08:07 PM
Eric,
Thank you for the Shalom sermon leading into Peacemakers. It is true the amount of conflict that occurs from not only a small scale daily, but that can build up into large scale issues.
You really reached me with the breaker, faker, maker section of the sermon. You identified me perfectly, which gives me confirmation that I am not the only one that deals with conflict in a particular way.
So, count me in...I commit to praying for Peace for the next 14 days. Thank you for guiding us with the prayer from Francis of Assisi.
Renee
Posted by: Renee Gerstmayr | 04/20/2009 at 10:04 AM
Hi Eric,
I commit to praying for Peace for the next 14 days.
Posted by: Suzanne Hein | 04/20/2009 at 11:26 PM
Eric,
Count our family in! I'm really struck again that we are called to be more than passive recipients of supernatural peace--we are to be instruments that help to bring peace. For those of us who run from conflict, and would like to believe peace will just come somehow, we are challenged to seek a fuller engagement in the peace making process. And that begins in prayer. Thanks for the challenge to pray.
Also thinking of the HUGE implications this has for Nigeria, and the church there.
Greg
Posted by: Greg Kirschner | 04/21/2009 at 07:05 AM
Eric,
Thanks for another inspiring sermon, count me in!
Pat
Posted by: Pat Nordling | 04/21/2009 at 01:44 PM
Pastor Eric I always enjoy your sermons. I learn something always when you speak that day, however it is amazing how I go home and during the week something else from your sermon pops out. Especially this week. I am tradionally a peace maker, however after listening closely to all the categories of Peace I could see myself in each category at times. This is showing me another opportunity to forward in my growing and living with God. I am commited to praying for peace! Thank you!
Sincerely, Mary Schetter
Posted by: Mary Schetter | 04/21/2009 at 04:57 PM
Eric,
I commit to praying for God to make me an instument of His peace. My peace is rooted in hope. I seek it and expect it. Nothing will separate me from the hope of His peace. Nothing in heaven or earth will destroy my hope and expectation. Hope sees the oneness in creation, peace in nature, the singleness of heart, the unity of spirit, the family of all people. Lord, bind us together with hope; link us in ways so we talk together, eat together, walk together, dream together, work together and live together. When we lose our way to peace, bring us back together through hope.
June
Posted by: June Tinaglia | 04/21/2009 at 09:50 PM
So excited about being a peacemaker. This weekend has been amazing and I can't wait to see what God does in the next three days. Lord make me an intrument of peace.
Posted by: Steve Kaminsky | 04/26/2009 at 10:00 PM
The work that is being done within our body individually and corporately will glorify God and release many from confusion or pain that lingers from the past. It is invigorating to be part of this revival of spirit and service. Thank you for leading all of us to prayer, honesty about ourselves and our perceptions, and renewal. I will do whatever I can do to be an instrument of peace.
Posted by: Marge Burch | 05/05/2009 at 02:12 PM