4 April, 2024
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. – Ephesians 6:14-15
Lord God Almighty, with our faith deeply rooted in your unshakeable promises, we hopefully await the day of Jesus Christ’s second coming, through which we shall be united, in one Body, one Spirit, for all eternity.. Then we shall recognize each other as fellow citizens, as brothers and sisters, and we shall have peace on earth. Give your Spirit anew, O Lord our God. Free and enlighten every heart so that each person can acknowledge the Word you have given and hold fast to all your promises, even in dark and troubled times. We dwell firmly in the truth of the doctrine, guarded by the sword of the Spirit, of soundness, and sincerity of heart.
Be with us, Lord, be with your people. Help us in our times of sorrow and tribulations, O Lord God. We await your peace, a new peace, not of the selfishness and false comfort of worldliness, but the peace, which shall bring us into the life of heaven, where we will find Jesus Christ, the Living One, our Shepherd. Until that day, we wait with watchfulness, in readiness for combat, holding fast to the mission entrusted to us, by general and particular callings. We huddle strongly together, to avert the danger of falling apart, and into temptations, persecutions and the accusations of men and the forces of evil..
As Christians, we need to undergo all the sufferings that sanctification entails. We pray Lord, for the strength to trudge through rough paths, made uneven by stones, cutting across briers and thorns, shod by the shoes of courage and strength of spirit. We must be prepared to hold on to the faith, and confess Christ in the most difficult times. With the preparation of the gospel of peace, grant us the grace and calmness of our souls, as we move along, teaching the peace of Christ and spreading the glad tidings of salvation and eternal joy, through Christ our Lord. Amen
