April 27, 2023 • Life for Leaders
Scripture — Psalm 122:6-7
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls
and security within your towers.”
Focus
Inspired by Psalm 122, today we pray for the fullness of peace in our workplaces.
Prelude
Psalm 122 includes a call to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (122:6). In its ancient context, this imperative was related to the fact that the temple, the “house of God,” was in Jerusalem. For Christians in today’s world, this would be rather like praying for the peace of the church, which is surely something we ought to do.
But Psalm 122 can inspire us to pray for peace in other ways as well. For example, we might pray for peace in our families, neighborhoods, cities, workplaces, and countries.
Peace, in a biblical perspective, is far more than simply the absence of conflict. Theologian Cornelius Plantinga offers the following definition of biblical peace: “The webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight is what the Hebrew prophets call shalom. We call it peace, but it means far more than mere peace of mind or a cease-fire between enemies. In the Bible, shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness, and delight — a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, a state of affairs that inspires joyful wonder as its Creator and Savior opens doors and welcomes the creatures in whom he delights. Shalom, in other words, is the way things ought to be” (Plantinga, Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be, p. 10).
Pray
Gracious God, even as your people once prayed for the peace of Jerusalem, today I pray for the peace of my workplace. We don’t have a temple there. But you are present there. We don’t have literal sacrifices. But I do offer my work as a sacrifice to you. We may not be experiencing many conflicts these days – or we may – but your peace means far more than the absence of conflict.
By your grace, Lord, may we experience your peace where I work. May my fellow employees and I encourage, support, and, as needed, forgive each other. May we help each other to be fruitful in our work. May what we do together contribute to the flourishing of our community.
Help me, dear Lord, to be a peacemaker in my workplace. May my colleagues see in me the presence of Christ, the source of peace. Amen.
Ponder Throughout the Day
The God of peace is present with you as you work.
For Further Reflection
Read all of Psalm 122.
You may also wish to reflect on 2 Thessalonians 3:16: “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways.”
Banner image by Jon Tyson on Unsplash.
Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the High Calling archive, hosted by the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.
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Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a Senior Strategist for Fuller’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where he focuses on the spiritual development and thriving of leaders. He is the principal writer of the daily devotional, Life for Leaders, and the founder of the De Pree Center’s Flourishing in the Third Third of Life Initiative. Previously, Mark was the Executive Director of the De Pree Center, the lead pastor of a church in Southern California, and the Senior Director of Laity Lodge in Texas. He has written eight books, dozens of articles, and over 2,500 devotions that help people discover the difference God makes in their daily life and leadership. With a Ph.D. in New Testament from Harvard, Mark teaches at Fuller Seminary, most recently in his D.Min. cohort on “Faith, Work, Economics, and Vocation.” Mark is married to Linda, a marriage and family counselor, spiritual director, and executive coach. Their two grown children are educators on the high school and college level.
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