Blessed are the peacemakers

Tearfund’s News Editor, Andrew Horton, reflects on the importance of praying for peace. 

I met a man who couldn’t stand up, his strength depleted, his diet: grass. This is one of the enduring memories of my visit to South Sudan in 2017. I went to see the work Tearfund was doing to help people facing a deadly famine.

When I was visiting our office in Twic East, I was asked to lead a Bible study for the staff team. I finished by asking them what the people of South Sudan most needed prayer for. It wasn’t what I expected to hear. After my encounter with the man who only had grass to eat, I had in my mind that they would say ‘food’. Surely food is what is needed most in a famine, I thought? 

No. The answer was ‘peace’. 

How they long for peace in South Sudan, still today. Peace would mean people can feel secure in their homes and communities, sustain their education and businesses, and be able to feed their families.

This is why peace is so important – why, as Christians, we should pray to our God for an end to violence and conflict.

Here is a prayer you can bring to God now:

Father God,
Since December 2013, the conflict in South Sudan has claimed thousands of lives and driven nearly four million people from their homes.
Lord, bring peace.

Honduras has one of the highest murder rates in the world.
Lord, bring peace.

Conflict broke out in Syria in 2011. Over 400,000 people are estimated to have been killed, and many millions have been forced to flee their homes.
Lord, bring peace.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), decades of conflict have brought devastation to the country. One in four women experience sexual and gender-based violence in their lifetime.
Lord, bring peace.

Yemen faces the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Conflict has left more than 24 million people in urgent need of food and clean water. The country is on the brink of famine.
Lord, bring peace.

The conflict provoked by Boko Haram in North East Nigeria has led to more than 20,000 people being killed, and forced 2.1 million people from their homes.
Lord, bring peace.

In every country where violence and conflict is destroying lives and pushing people further into poverty – 
Lord, bring peace.
Amen.