THE NOT-SO-SUBTLE POWER OF CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH!

There had never been a war between the Argentine and Chile, but in 1899 there was a frontier dispute which had highly explosive possibilities. By Easter 1900, the two armies were poised to strike and war seemed inevitable.

During Holy Week, Monsignor Benavente preached in Buenos Aires on Easter Day a sermon which was a passionate appeal for peace. News of the sermon carried to Chile and a bishop in Chile took up the message. Both these bishops set out on a preaching campaign for peace. At first little seemed to be happening and then, bit by bit, the whole country in both nations was caught up in a great movement for peace. In the end, the two governments were forced by the will of the people to submit the frontier dispute to the arbitration of King Edward VII of Britain.

A treaty was entered into which promised in the future to submit all matters of dispute to arbitration, and then a wonderful thing happened. The guns of the frontier fortresses were now useless and irrelevant. They were taken to the arsenal in Buenos Aires and melted down and out of them there was cast a great bronze figure of Jesus. The right hand is stretched out in blessing; the left holds a cross.

It was decided to carry this great statue 13,000 feet up the mountains to the frontier. It was taken as far as the railway went; it was then taken on gun carriages drawn by mules; and for the final steep rise to the top of the mountain it was dragged up with ropes by soldiers and sailors. On March 13, 1904, it was at last erected and unveiled, and there it stands.

Beneath it are these words: “These mountains themselves shall fall and crumble to dust before the people of Chile and the Argentine Republic forget their solemn covenant sworn at the feet of Christ.” On the other side is inscribed the text: “He is our peace who hath made both one” [Ephesians 2:14].

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The message of this story needs to be brought to bear in our world in 2026!

I realize that there are evil forces at work in this world and that they must be dealt with. For over three years many of us have been in anguish over the war between Russia and Ukraine! Hamas’ uncalled for violence in Israel shocked and dismayed us! And now the need to curtail Iran’s potential for massive damage if allowed to have nuclear capability is a daily concern to many!

If I’m brutally honest, I will also admit that I’ve only prayed about the Iranian War several times since the bombing began. Two of those times were when I watched the arrival of the bodies of our seven dead patriots. I don’t recall it being mentioned in the prayer time at church on Sunday [although with my hearing challenges, it may have been].

The above report reminds us that “if My people pray” God will bring about a remarkable demonstration of His peace and unifying presence!

In essence, we have the power to change these hot-spots in our world!

Do we have the desire to do so?

Will we have leaders who will call us to pray?

Will we believe that our prayers might actually make a difference?

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Gracious God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

Call us to prayer about the longstanding tensions that continue to exist internationally in our world!

Help us – as Your followers – to believe Your Word:

“He shall judge between the nations,

and rebuke many people:

They shall beat their swords into plowshares,

and their spears into pruning hooks;

Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

neither shall they learn war anymore.”

[Isaiah 2:4 NKJV]

Remind Your Church that we have the ability to change the hostile and disrupting events in our world  -  if we will just unite in prayer!

 For Your Kingdom’s sake.

Amen.