Peace in our turbulent times
AT a time we are hearing that one in 50 people in Nottingham are infected with the Covid virus, we may tend to be desperate or panic.
However, the word of God through Prophet Jeremiah challenged exiled children of Israel in Babylon to pray for the peace of the city where they were taken captive. Similarly, in Psalms 122 God asks His children to pray for the peace of their nation and their city.
What is this peace of God? It is a watershed word whose meaning implies “nothing missing, nothing broken, everything good available”. We need this type of peace!
We declare this peace to ourselves, our circumstances and our surroundings by pouring our heartfelt praise and worship to God, through prayer and by inculcating an inner assurance of hope that God is in control because He has promised us so.
He says: “Be still and know that I am God.” In turbulent times in Bible days some children of God started praising God irrespective of their calamities until God reversed their misfortunes. Others slept peacefully in stormy situations just trusting in God and they safely sailed through the storms.
Psalm 122 states that through our ceaseless prayers we decree peace to be within the walls of our city and prosperity within the walls of the palaces therein. A prayer-fortified city smells nice like a peaceful palace even at a time it is surrounded by hostile situations. Apostle Paul told people in uncertainty in the city of Philippi “Be not anxious, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God; and the peace of God which surpasses all human understanding shall guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”.
Nottingham is filled with praying people and even amidst the current pandemic situation prayers are rising from the hearts of such people to the throne of God so that peace may be the fortress of our beloved city. As God puts it in Isaiah 62, let me paraphrase it this way, “For the sake of Nottingham, remain not silent and for the sake of your future generations do not rest until the light thereof shall truly shine and its salvation lamp shall burn continuously. I have a prayer army in Nottingham who will not remain silent day and night. You who are prayerful, be not silent but pray till God comes to make Nottingham a praise in the earth”.
May this be one of our regular prayers during these uncertain times.