By Laura Herdman

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and shouting.

Almighty God, we see your power in designing the galaxies, the oceans, and the sands; and we behold your gentleness in the butterfly, the firefly, the violet. How can we not stand in awe before the grandeur displayed on Earth? Help us now reflect on the times when peace entered our souls as we stood still, listened, and beheld the beauty surrounding us. And so we do at this moment. We thank you for expressions of peace others tell us through their insight of your splendor: the artists, the musicians, architects, poets. And we, too, witness of the good feeling we have each time we create or work at making something a little better than it was. We feel a kinship with you, and peace enters our soul.

Help us create opportunities to take the touch of Jesus to others to sense his peace. We ask forgiveness for moments when we have not acted on his behalf. Forgive our reluctance, our apathy, our daily busyness that hinders our sensitivity to others’ needs. You give us opportunities to be peacemakers, but we do not always see, hear, or do.

Today we pledge our efforts anew. We pledge to take the peace from the beauty surrounding us in the arts and nature and give it human expression in our relationships. Somehow, we feel that as we do so, we carry out the purpose for our being. Give us your blessing this day, and receive our petition simply because our Master urges us to pray. Amen.

Prayer Phrase

“…my God turns my darkness into light” (Psalm 18:28).

Spiritual Practice

Light

Close your eyes and become centered with your breath. As you breathe gently in and out, reflect on the statement, “The light of God is in all things.” The light has a bright, soft beauty and radiates God’s healing love. The light of God reaches you and permeates you with a deep sense of peace. Rest in the light as it surrounds and fills you. Thank God that you live in God’s light, and it lives in you.

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.