But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.

Almighty God, we see your power in designing the galaxies, the oceans, and the sands; and we behold your gentleness in the butterfly, the firefly, the violet. How can we not stand in awe before the grandeur displayed on Earth? Help us now reflect on the times when peace entered our souls as we stood still, listened, and beheld the beauty surrounding us.

We thank you for expressions of peace from others through their insight of your splendor: the artists, musicians, architects, poets. We witness the good feeling we have each time we create or work at making something a little better than it was. We feel a kinship with you, and peace enters our soul.

Help us create opportunities to take the touch of Jesus to others to sense his peace. We ask forgiveness of moments when we have not acted on his behalf. Forgive our reluctance, our apathy, our daily busyness that hinders our sensitivity to others’ needs. You give us opportunities to be peacemakers, but we do not always see, hear, or do.

Today we pledge our efforts anew. We pledge to take the peace from the beauty surrounding us in the arts and nature and give it human expression in our relationships. Somehow, we feel that as we do so, we carry out the purpose for our being. Give us your blessing this day and receive our petition simply because our master urges us to pray. Amen.

Prayer Phrase

“In his hand is the life of every living thing” (Job 12:10).

Trees

Watch the trees outside your window for a few moments. Close your eyes and meditate on Alma’s words about seeds and trees. If you were to plant and grow the Word of God in your heart, what tree might symbolically represent this process? Imagine a seed as it grows into a tree of life and blessing. Ask God to show you how to begin (see Alma 16:152–173).

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

O Mother Earth,
you are sick, and death is creeping upon you.
Your deserts burn with fever, and once-mighty rivers
have become conveyors of garbage
filled with glassy-eyed fish, gasping for breath.

O Mother Earth,
The mighty forests of your tropics have nearly vanished.
Gaping canyons are cut deep into your broken body
and you are robbed of your minerals.
Your strata rumble in pain as you are ravished by greed.

O Mother Earth,
you nurture me with your soil and water.
Let me touch you with a healing hand in
the tiny corner where I take my sustenance.

Prayer Phrase

“In his hand is the life of every living thing” (Job 12:10).

Trees

Watch the trees outside your window for a few moments. Close your eyes and meditate on Alma’s words about seeds and trees. If you were to plant and grow the Word of God in your heart, what tree might symbolically represent this process? Imagine a seed as it grows into a tree of life and blessing. Ask God to show you how to begin (see Alma 16:152–173).

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.

These are portentous times. The lives of many are being sacrificed unnecessarily to the gods of war, greed, and avarice. The land is being desecrated by the thoughtless waste of vital resources. You must obey my commandments and be in the forefront of those who would mediate this needless destruction while there is yet day.

[Excerpted from Heal the Earth: A Restoration Imperative, Adult Reunion Resource, Herald House, p. 15]

The sacred interconnection of life means that when we do things for the Earth, we do them for ourselves. Contemporary science readily sees this truth. When we improve the health of air and water, we improve our own health. To act for the well-being of a threatened species has far-ranging implications for human thriving. The poor of the Earth are no longer only the human poor, for the creation itself has become impoverished. We confess that our future is linked to the welfare of all the poor: “in their welfare resides your welfare” (Doctrine and Covenants 163:4a).

We cannot separate care for Earth (ecological justice) from care for people (social justice). We are made of the same stuff as the rest of creation. Whatever affects the parts, affects the whole.

Disciples have a choice to make. We can imitate God’s generosity with love for all living things. Or we can continue to walk the path toward ecological devastation, in which the few take what they want for personal benefit at the expense of the many. We are capable of thriving as a global community while at the same time cultivating, cherishing, protecting, and preserving the living systems all around us. The good news of the gospel invites us in the twenty-first century to be in love with the world as God is in love with the world.

Prayer Phrase

“In his hand is the life of every living thing” (Job 12:10).

Trees

Watch the trees outside your window for a few moments. Close your eyes and meditate on Alma’s words about seeds and trees. If you were to plant and grow the Word of God in your heart, what tree might symbolically represent this process? Imagine a seed as it grows into a tree of life and blessing. Ask God to show you how to begin (see Alma 16:152–173).

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

I remember a moment when a blessing looked nothing like what I expected. It was during an online visit with a sister from the church whose health had severely deteriorated. Weakened and burdened, she easily could have given in to discouragement. Yet, every word she spoke overflowed with gratitude, encouragement, and testimony.

I had reached out to her, thinking I would bring her support and comfort, but that day, I was the one who was most blessed. “I am blessed,” she told me again and again. “Every morning I wake up, I give thanks. Every day I have another breath of life; it’s a gift.” I was deeply moved. Uncertain of what the future held, she still saw God’s abundance within and around her. That day, I understood that a blessing is not measured by what we have or keep, but by what we choose to give, even in the midst of trials.

In Luke 24, before ascending to heaven, Jesus blesses his disciples. He could have left in silence, but he chose to pass on to them what he carried within himself: peace, love, and mission. He did not promise them a life without hardship, but rather a constant presence—a living blessing that would go with them.

What if we are called to do the same? To be living blessings, even in uncertainty? To offer peace and hope, instead of waiting for life to be perfect?

Today, I declare that we all carry a blessing within us—not to keep for ourselves, but to share. Through a word, a thought, a gesture, a loving presence, an act of kindness, we can be those outstretched hands that pass on Christ’s love.

Prayer Phrase

“In his hand is the life of every living thing” (Job 12:10).

Trees

Watch the trees outside your window for a few moments. Close your eyes and meditate on Alma’s words about seeds and trees. If you were to plant and grow the Word of God in your heart, what tree might symbolically represent this process? Imagine a seed as it grows into a tree of life and blessing. Ask God to show you how to begin (see Alma 16:152–173).

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

From early spring to late autumn, sometimes wrapped in a blanket, I sit in my hammock swing on our porch. From here I can watch the rain, see our garden growing, and observe the busy hummingbirds. If early enough, I can behold the sunrise. If late enough, I can immerse myself in the twinkling of stars and fireflies.

Most of the time I have music in my ears, music that both excites and soothes my spirit, accented by bird chirps from the apple tree, flowing streams, and the tinkling of wind chimes as the breeze drifts by. It is a place where I can read scripture and glean what God has for me. It is a place where I can meet God heart-to-heart in conversation and worship—my sanctuary on the mountain… in the woods… on my porch… nestled in my woven swing.

It is here that I remember to thank God for my sight as I see a myriad of greens along with pop of colors as each season displays its beauty. I smell the forest, wet with rain, and God reminds me that my boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places. Here I “dwell in the shelter of the Most High and abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”

Where is your quiet place? Where is the place your heart connects to the heart of your Creator? What do you see? What is your vision? What mysteries is the Holy Spirit revealing to you? What sweet words are whispered to you? Meet God with curiosity and awe, seeking to know God in a new way and discovering the plan for your life as you go.

God waits for you.

Prayer Phrase

“In his hand is the life of every living thing” (Job 12:10).

Trees

Watch the trees outside your window for a few moments. Close your eyes and meditate on Alma’s words about seeds and trees. If you were to plant and grow the Word of God in your heart, what tree might symbolically represent this process? Imagine a seed as it grows into a tree of life and blessing. Ask God to show you how to begin (see Alma 16:152–173).

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

[Excerpted from “When, Earth…When Did We See You?” by Lu Mounenay, July 2013 Herald, p. 34]

The stewards said to the sacred Earth, “When did we hurt you?” Then the Earth said to the stewards, “I was gasping for breath, and you suffocated me—you contaminated my air and destroyed my protective shield. I was thirsty, and the waters that you did not imprison in plastic vessels, you consumed and polluted.

“I was whole, and you cut the snowy peaks off my mountains and laid them low. You filled my deep valleys with toxic sludge. My forests were green and full of life-giving oxygen, and you cleared away my trees, leaving barren stubble. The waves of my seas were high, mighty, and teeming with fish, and you left them stagnant, laden with mercury. You eroded my shores.

“I revealed traces of hidden things for your benefit, and you left me with intruding footprints of carbon and tetrachloride. I was free, and you imprisoned me with bars of apathy. I was creation itself, and your blinders of power would not let you see me for the living gift that I am.

“Some of my prophetic people sent warnings, but you laughed. Some of my inhabitants tried to protect me, but your laws and regulations were feeble. Some disciples offered solutions of green, but you said the cost was too high. I welcomed you to dwell with me, yet you made me a stranger.”

Then the stewards said, “Holy Earth, when was it that we did these things? When did we betray you?”

And the Earth said, “It was not only what you did, but what you failed to do.”

Then the stewards again asked, “Earth…Earth, when? When did we see you cry and not respond? When did we feel you shudder and not comfort you?”

And the Earth answered, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to me, you did it to yourselves…and your children’s children.”

Prayer Phrase

“In his hand is the life of every living thing” (Job 12:10).

Trees

Watch the trees outside your window for a few moments. Close your eyes and meditate on Alma’s words about seeds and trees. If you were to plant and grow the Word of God in your heart, what tree might symbolically represent this process? Imagine a seed as it grows into a tree of life and blessing. Ask God to show you how to begin (see Alma 16:152–173).

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.

Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you;

“Great and Marvelous Are Thy Works” Community of Christ Sings 118

Great and marvelous are thy works,
O Lord of hosts, almighty One!
Earth and firmament speak thy praise;
thy name is written in the sun.

Thou hast fashioned with thine own hand
the earth below, the heavens above;
O how wonderful is thy power,
and yet how tender is thy love.

O thou infinite, living God,
upon us now thy Spirit pour;
we would worship thee, laud and praise
thy holy name forever more.

Sing of his mighty love, for it is wonderful;
let his praise through all the earth resound;
honor and majesty now and forever be
unto God whose love and mercy have no bound.

Words and Music: Charles H. Gabriel, 1856-1932

Prayer Phrase

In his hand is the life of every living thing” (Job 12:10).

Trees

Watch the trees outside your window for a few moments. Close your eyes and meditate on Alma’s words about seeds and trees. If you were to plant and grow the Word of God in your heart, what tree might symbolically represent this process? Imagine a seed as it grows into a tree of life and blessing. Ask God to show you how to begin (see Alma 16:152–173).

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

Almighty and Sovereign Creator—Lord of the universe and all living creatures,
As we contemplate the wonders of the universe, the vastness of space, and the galaxies upon galaxies waiting to be discovered, we see within the cosmos your order and your peace.

We stand in awe and are breathless as we consider your majesty and creative genius. Words are inadequate to praise you, our lips tremble as we feebly try to express the adoration within our hearts and minds.

We echo with the psalmist, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” Our knowledge is that you love humanity and are concerned for us. We know that humankind is a part of your great works when they are at peace and harmony with one another and the environment.

We raise our voice with all those throughout the world who deeply desire to be at one with you. With the prophets and seers of today as well as the ancients, let the desire for peace grow and multiply in the minds of governments, in the hearts of all people, in the desert places, in the mountains, in the crowded cities, and upon the oceans and seas. Amen.

Prayer Phrase

“In his hand is the life of every living thing” (Job 12:10).

Trees

Watch the trees outside your window for a few moments. Close your eyes and meditate on Alma’s words about seeds and trees. If you were to plant and grow the Word of God in your heart, what tree might symbolically represent this process? Imagine a seed as it grows into a tree of life and blessing. Ask God to show you how to begin (see Alma 16:152–173).

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.

Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; let them turn away from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.

I am convinced that our Heavenly Creator loves diversity. That is why God created each of us uniquely and wonderfully different. Yet in that difference, we are one in the Spirit. While there are many people in the world, no two people are identical in every way. However, everyone has a living soul and spirit in need of love.

Looking at creation, nature, the Earth, and its inhabitants, we can’t help but see the witness of God’s love of diversity. Through diversity, God offers a foundation for each of us to experience wholeness in community, family, and worship. Imagine a world where all people look, think, walk, and sound the same. What a boring world it would be. God creates us differently to be interdependent with each other and the Holy Spirit. We build each other up in the body of Christ. Just as the moon is interdependent with the sun, and the trees with the grass, we are with God for the Creator’s pleasure and glory.

Creation is a daily witness of God’s love of diversity. The body of Christ loves and accepts all into the body. Followers of Christ show no partiality but love one another no matter their physical makeup. As we journey in faith together, let us remember to respect and welcome our differences—God made us that way to complement and complete one another.

Prayer Phrase

“In his hand is the life of every living thing” (Job 12:10).

Trees

Watch the trees outside your window for a few moments. Close your eyes and meditate on Alma’s words about seeds and trees. If you were to plant and grow the Word of God in your heart, what tree might symbolically represent this process? Imagine a seed as it grows into a tree of life and blessing. Ask God to show you how to begin (see Alma 16:152–173).

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.

Praise the Lord, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!

[Excerpted from Heal the Earth: A Restoration Imperative, Adult Reunion Resource, Herald House, p. 14]

The world exists in and by divine love. The Spirit is itself the spirit of livingness. God loves and sustains life in all its abundance and dazzling diversity. The triune divine community created all life as an interconnected whole. These affirmations of our faith may help us imagine creation as one neighborhood or community. Jesus’ command to love our neighbor, then, extends in our time to the whole cosmos, with its countless intricate living systems. Nature, as our “neighbor,” can as well be seen as the “poor among us,” for in the biblical tradition, the poor were the most vulnerable. In our own time we also know that human poverty actually arises from the impoverishment of the land (Exodus 20:8−11; Deuteronomy 5:12−15; Psalms 19:1−4; 104; Isaiah 24:4−13) as desertification demonstrates.

Loving our neighbors must no longer be confined to the person next door, the person sitting next to us in church, or even those who live on the other side of the street. Loving our neighbors has become a pressing global call. It will require us to live ethically and compassionately in relationship with all creation. Exciting possibilities open up when we apply Jesus’ command to love our neighbor to creatures like frogs and polar bears, to places like oceans and glaciers, and to the natural processes related to air, water, and soil. By loving all creation, we live and share God’s sacred purposes for the world, which arose from the mystery of God’s boundless love.

Prayer Phrase

“In his hand is the life of every living thing” (Job 12:10).

Trees

Watch the trees outside your window for a few moments. Close your eyes and meditate on Alma’s words about seeds and trees. If you were to plant and grow the Word of God in your heart, what tree might symbolically represent this process? Imagine a seed as it grows into a tree of life and blessing. Ask God to show you how to begin (see Alma 16:152–173).

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.