A Prayer for Those Longing for Peace in Creation - Your Daily Prayer - August 25

A Prayer for Those Longing for Peace in Creation
By Sophia Bricker

Bible Reading:
“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:6-9, NIV).

Listen or Read Below:

My eyes widened as the white tiger strode by on the other side of the wire fence. The animal was thickly muscled and larger than my child-sized form. My sisters and I stood with my parents and grandparents at the annual fair amid crowds of families, sounds of delighted screams from people on rides, and the sweet smell of fried batter and cinnamon.  

“Aren’t they just beautiful?” My grandmother said, smiling at the large cats. She loved exotic animals, especially monkeys and big cats. We would each leave the fair that day with a white tiger plush tucked under our arms as a gift from her.

But my mother hovered protectively near my sisters and me. “Well … I don’t like the way they are looking at the girls, as if they are part of a Happy Meal.”  

To be honest, she had a point. Without the presence of the fence, my sisters and I did not stand a chance against the strong jaws and claws of the tiger. Small children would be easy prey for the big cats.  

Encountering a wild animal, whether in captivity or in nature, often leaves a person with contrasting feelings of admiration and fear, as my grandmother and mother experienced that day. Truly, a raw sense of power and beauty is present in animals like wolves, tigers, lions, and bears.      

The current deadliness and strength of many animals worldwide make the picture in Isaiah 11 especially shocking. A wolf living with a lamb? A leopard resting with a goat? These are not pairings we would naturally associate with these creatures, unless we were describing their menu of choice. And a little child leading all these animals? This addition creates a picture that shakes all our assumptions through its symbolism of radical peace.

Regardless of when we place this passage’s fulfillment in the timeline of prophecy, the hope it inspires remains. A day is coming when all people will live in peace with each other and creation. No more will we teeter on the brink of a power struggle or abuse our stewardship of the natural world. No more will a sense of fear arise when we see a tiger or another wild animal. The everlasting reign of our Savior will finally bring the peace we all crave (see also Isaiah 2:2-4 and Revelation 21:4).

Yet, even now, we catch glimpses of this coming reality through our friendships with dogs, cats, and the other animals we care for and adopt into our families. As we praise God for these blessings, we can also pray for the day when the world “will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:9).

Let’s Pray

Root of Jesse, the Scriptures speak of a coming day when You will rule in peace and righteousness. On that day, the world will be filled with the knowledge of You, and all will confess that You, Jesus, are Lord.

With Your rule, peace will come to creation, where a small child will be able to lead a group of animals without harm. I long for this day when all things will be made right. Wars will cease. Humans will live in harmony with Your good creation. Death will die.

Right now, though, I find myself in the “in-between” of here, but not yet. Help me to wait in faithfulness, making the most of my opportunities to promote peace in the lives and world around me. May I also live with a steady trust that the current tooth and claw reality in creation is not forever–– peace is coming. So, I trust, in the words of Your servant Julian of Norwich, that “all shall be well.” In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Discuss today’s devotional with others in the Your Daily Prayer thread on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Lilly Roadstones

Sophia Bricker is a writer. Her mission is to help others grow in their relationship with Jesus through thoughtful articles, devotionals, and stories. She completed a BA and MA in Christian ministry which included extensive study of the Bible and theology, as well as an MFA in creative writing. You can read her thoughts about literature and faith at The Cross, a Pen, and a Page Substack, or visit the discipleship-based site  Cultivate, where she writes with her sister.

Related Resource: Praying Through Life’s Battles

What battle are you carrying today?

Maybe it is an unanswered prayer, a painful loss, a strained relationship, a health concern, or a circumstance that feels far beyond your control. When life feels overwhelming, we can become so consumed by our emotions—or so busy trying to fix everything ourselves—that prayer is often one of the first things we neglect.

This week on The Love Offering Podcast, my friend Rachel Wojo joins me to talk about her new 90-day devotional, Praying Through Life’s Battles. Drawing from her experience of loving and losing her daughter, Taylor, Rachel shares how prayer has sustained her through unimaginable grief and reminded her that she never faces life’s battles alone.

If you like what you hear, be sure to follow The Love Offering on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!