The United Nations passed a resolution in 1981 declaring an International Day of Peace. Coinciding with this day is the International Day of Prayer for Peace, which is observed on September 21 each year. On this day and in the divine service just prior to this, we have the opportunity and privilege to join in prayer with all Christians. As we have witnessed, we are living in a time of unrest, wars, and constant chaos. Through my previous experience, I lived in a country that was at war for over 20 years and can testify that a war destroys many physical elements; it also negatively impacts the spiritual well-being of human souls.

War occurs every day in different forms. It may be small self-conflicting moments in decision making and it can be large battles between countries. Historically, peace has been drafted in forms of negotiation and compromise. But this form of peace is always changing as new conflicts arise. The peace we want to achieve is inner peace and this can be achieved through prayer. 

Where does genuine inner peace come from?

Peace begins from the Prince of Peace. (cf. Isaiah 9: 6), which is the Lord Jesus. The Lord himself, shared words out of John 16: 33 “…in Me you may have peace.” and he carried on to say “in the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Further, two examples that we can find in the bible are:

• The disciples of the Lord Jesus were with Him in a boat. When a storm of the sea rocked the boat, they became uneasy as they started to fear death. (cf. Matthew 8: 23-25). In this moment, the Lord Jesus was still on the boat, they forgot that the Prince of Peace was already with them.
• When the Lord Jesus was crucified, all the disciples felt immediate chaos and were terrified as they had lost their inner peace. When the Lord Jesus resurrected, He spoke to them and said “Peace to you” (cf. Luke 24: 36) to settle their hearts and let them know not to fear.

These two stories teach us that we need not be fearful; that we need peace in our lives and this may be accomplished through our prayers and faith in our Lord Jesus. Often times, we pray for situations that occur within our immediate circle. But how often do we extend our prayers beyond that, such as for world peace?

Referenced in the Catechism of the NAC (section 13.5) it states, “The New Apostolic Church stands for universal peace, appeals for reconciliation, and admonishes forgiveness. It rejects all forms of violence.”  Our prayers can be a great weapon in the pursuit of peace. Let us come together and join in on the International Day of Prayer for Peace, in which our Chief Apostle fully supports.