Praying for World Peace

At the Church of St Oswald, Lythe, a 'prayer board' has been erected whereupon people may write their requests on a piece of paper and add it to the board. The board’s title states:

Please join in our prayers for world peace.

It is a well-intentioned prayer request, but it will only be answered when the Lord Jesus returns. Praying for it without His arrival is like asking God to permanently calm the seas or stop the wind. The Lord even stated that there would be wars and rumours of wars ahead of His return; granting this well-meant request would be to retract His own word, and that He cannot do. Yet this does not prevent us from asking Him to stay the hand of evil and violence in particular conflicts, such as the likely massacre of Armenians in the appalling conflict now raging. Just as we pray for the healing of individual limbs while shying of requesting a brand new, glorious body this side of death, so we should pray for violent situations without expecting peace across the entire globe. At Salem Chapel, we pray the Lord would return quickly - that is truly a request for world peace.