Read: Isaiah 2:4

Reflect: This week we observed Memorial Day – a national day set aside to remember all who have died in service to this country. It is good for us to remember the cost of war in terms of lives lost. It is also good for us to count the cost of war as it is measured by those who survive, yet continue to suffer from wounds that are not always obvious. As we remember our dead, let us also remember the living. Let us pray for our own and for our enemies, that one day nations will no longer lift up swords against each other, or learn war any more.

Prayer: Holy God, you call us forward into a day of peace between nations; a time when war is no longer taught or sought. So many have died in the defense of liberty. We remember them with love and thanksgiving. Open our hearts to care for those who struggle to heal from wounds we can see… and the ones that remain invisible. Strengthen and support the families of our service members. Teach us all your lasting way of peace. We pray in the name of the one who is our Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.