Read: Isaiah 2:2-4

Reflect: The prophet Isaiah speaks of a day when all the nations of earth shall turn to God and learn God’s ways; a day when instruments of war will be transformed into tools for the feeding of the world. How I long for that day when we fight for victory over hunger, poverty, and homelessness, instead of fighting for control over fossil fuels; land, water, and resources; and the subjugation of those who are somehow “different” from us!

On this Veterans’ Day, I am thankful for those who have answered the call to protect and defend us from our nation’s enemies. I’m grateful for the individual and family sacrifices that are made each day in the cause of the freedoms I often take for granted. And I dream of the day when “nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn way anymore.”

Prayer: God of justice and freedom, look with compassion on our military veterans. Sustain them and their families during their times of enlistment. Heal the visible and invisible scars they carry. And create in us all the will to work for peace in our world. Amen.