Music Suggestions

Entrance Song

Discussion Guide: Give Us Your Peace, Oh God

Introduction

This song is a simple, profound prayer. Its power lies in its repetition, acknowledging that our need for peace isn't a one-time request but a constant, daily longing. This guide breaks down the song stanza by stanza—and now with related scriptures—to explore the specific areas of our lives where we need God's peace to enter.

Opening Question: When you hear the word "peace," what is the first image, feeling, or idea that comes to mind? Is the peace you're thinking of something that comes from within you or from outside of you?

The Central Plea

"Give us your peace, oh God Give us your peace, your peace"

The song begins not with a description, but with a direct request. It's a plea that is repeated throughout the song, acting as the foundation for everything else.

• Question 1: Why do you think the song repeats the phrase "Give us your peace"? What does this repetition suggest about our human condition and our need for God?
• Question 2: The lyrics specifically ask for "your peace" (God's peace). How might "God's peace" be different from the world's definition of peace (e.g., the absence of conflict, being left alone, or just feeling calm)?
• Question 3: Have you ever been in a situation so overwhelming that the only prayer you could muster was a simple, repeated phrase like this? What is the power in such a simple prayer?

Peace in Fear

"When we’re afraid, running from truth Gather us back to you Take every fear, and fill our hearts Give us your peace, oh God"

• Question 1: The song says, "When we're afraid, running from truth..." What do you think is the connection between fear and truth? In what ways do our fears (of failure, of others, of the future, of ourselves) cause us to "run from" or avoid truth?
• Question 2: The solution proposed is to be "gathered back" to God. What does this image of being "gathered" evoke for you? Describe a time when you felt God "gathered you back" from a place of anxiety or fear.
• Question 3: The lyrics present an exchange: "Take every fear, and fill our hearts." It's not just about fear being removed, but about peace filling that new space. What's the difference between an "empty" heart (fear removed) and a "full" heart (filled with peace)?
• Question 4 (Scripture Link): Read Luke 21:5-19. This passage describes a world full of terrifying events: wars, earthquakes, famines, and even betrayal by family. Jesus's answer isn't a promise of escape, but a call to "endurance" to "gain your lives" (v. 19). How does this idea of endurance connect with the song's plea to be 'gathered back' to God? Can God's peace and steadfast endurance coexist in the middle of fear and chaos?

Peace in Weariness

"When we are tired, weary and worn Take us into your arms Where there is no need, there is no want Give us your peace, oh God"

The second need is for rest. This stanza addresses a deep, soul-level exhaustion that goes beyond just being physically tired.

• Question 1: What is the difference, in your experience, between being "tired" and being "weary and worn"? What kinds of things in modern life make us feel spiritually "weary and worn"?
• Question 2: The image of comfort here is being taken "into your arms." What does this posture of rest and surrender look like in a practical, daily sense? What does it mean for you to "rest in God's arms" when you feel burned out?
• Question 3: The guide describes this place of rest as "where there is no need, there is no want." This implies total contentment. How does this divine peace compare to other ways we seek rest (e.g., vacations, entertainment, sleep)? Why do those other forms of rest often feel temporary?
• Question 4 (Scripture Link): Read 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12. This passage addresses a different kind of "weariness"—the disorder and agitation that comes from idleness, not just overwork. Paul commands the disorderly to "work quietly and to earn their own living" (v. 12). How does this passage challenge or complement the idea of "resting in God's arms"? How can purposeful work itself be a source of God's peace, while disordered idleness can be a source of anxiety?

Peace in Being Lost

"Lord we belong to you alone Show us the way back home Into your light, into your love Give us your peace, oh God"

The final stanza addresses our need for identity and direction. It’s a prayer for guidance from a place of feeling lost, reminding us of where we ultimately belong.

• Question 1: Before asking for direction, the song makes a statement: "Lord we belong to you alone." Why is it important to establish identity (who we belong to) before asking for direction (show us the way)?
• Question 2: What does the concept of "home" mean to you in a spiritual sense? Describe a time in your life when you felt far from that "home" and needed to be shown the way back.
• Question 3: The song charts a path: "Into your light, into your love," which ultimately leads to "your peace." How are light, love, and peace connected? How does walking in one lead to the others?
• Question 4 (Scripture Link): Read Malachi 3:19-20a (Malachi 4:1-2a in some Bibles). This passage contrasts the "day... blazing like an oven" for the arrogant with a promise for those who fear God's name: "the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings." How does this image of a rising sun bringing healing connect with the song's prayer to be led "into your light, into your love"? What kind of "healing" do you think this "light" and "love" bring to someone who feels lost?

Closing Reflection

The song's structure is a model for prayer:

1. The Plea: ("Give us your peace")
2. The Need: ("When I'm afraid... When I'm tired... When I feel lost...")
3. The Trust: ("Gather us... Take us... Show us...")

Which of these three stanzas (fear, weariness, or feeling lost) resonates most deeply with you in this season of your life? Take a moment to silently or openly offer that specific area to God, using the song's simple prayer: "Take this [fear/weariness/lostness], and fill my heart. Give me your peace, O God."

Tips for Lectors

FIRST READINGSECOND READING

Lisa Bellecci (bell-LAY-chee)-st.romain has a masters in pastoral theology. Her day job is a Christian clinical social worker.

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Lector Notes
for the 1st Reading

Greg Warnusz

Malachi 3:19-20a

Lisa Bellecci (bell-LAY-chee)-st.romain has a masters in pastoral theology. Her day job is a Christian clinical social worker.

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Lector Notes
for the 2nd Reading

Greg Warnusz

2 Thessalonians 3:7-12