Holy God,
We gather here with our minds divided across many things. We are preoccupied with grocery lists, work obligations, and carpool schedules. Of course, Lord, we are very busy people with many important things to do.
Yet, God, maybe in this moment, we might be reorienting our multitasking skills to consider the weight of this moment in particular. God, today, we consider sacrifice and the promise of peace.
Today, we honor the men and women who took a vow to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States.” We recognize that throughout our country’s history, not every veteran has been honored with dignity, and not every service member has been appropriately supported. We also recognize that not every veteran volunteered, and not all who volunteered were allowed to serve.
These people live among us as an example of great sacrifice, trying, in some way, to help realize the noble promises made at our nation’s founding. Promises we, as a nation, continue to struggle to keep. We lament, Lord, that we are drawn to violence. We make enemies. We wage war with our neighbors and within ourselves.
Still, we cling to the promise of your peace. – peace that seeks understanding – peace that seeks your kingdom.
We thank you for the peace we have with you through the sacrifice of your precious Son, Jesus. He has assured us that you will keep your great promise: our hearts have been made free, our spirits have been made pure, and we can draw near to you. With full confidence in faith, we can draw near to you.
God, today, we consider sacrifice and promise, and those who give of themselves with the confidence that the promise of peace is worthwhile and assured.
