Today our hearts are breaking as we think about the horrific violence and loss of life that occurred at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas yesterday. We also are grieving the deadly violence that occurred in a grocery store in Buffalo, New York just a few days ago. We continue grappling with the violence of war that has been so devastating for the people of Ukraine over the last several months. We find ourselves asking, what should our response be as followers of Christ when there is so much tragic violence in the world today?
As faithful followers of Christ, we grieve with those who are hurting. We pray and ask God to comfort those who mourn. We ask God to bring violence to an end and to help us live in peace with one another. We pray, "Lord have mercy." We pray, "Christ have mercy," and we know that God hears our faithful prayers.
Yet, as we pray, may we also remember that God wants to use us to help answer the prayers that we pray. We may think we have nothing to offer the Lord in the face of problems that are beyond our human understanding, but God sees things much differently. Yes, God wants to use us as we yield ourselves to be instruments of peace in God’s loving and faithful hands.
So, this week as we pray for those impacted by horrific violence in the world, let’s also ask God to use each of us as instruments of His peace. Let’s ask God to use us as instruments of peace in our own homes, in our community, and everywhere we go. Let’s also ask God to use us together as Union Christian Church as an instrument of peace in every aspect of our life and ministry together. May we, as the people of God, live in such a way that others experience the love and peace of Christ each time they come in contact with us individually or collectively as a church family.
For as we yield ourselves to be instruments of peace in God’s faithful hands, I sense that we will hear the promise and the challenge of Jesus’ own words found in Matthew 5:9 ringing in our ears and in our hearts, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Keep us in your faithful hands and use us daily as you answer the prayers we pray. Amen.