Peace

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April 29

Monday, April 29th, 2024

Peace…in spite of.

Have you ever wondered what makes some people be as “calm as a cucumber” while others are frazzled to the bone with the same situation?

How can some be relaxed while others can’t stop wringing their hands?

How come the first move of some is to run to the doctor for a med at the first sign of stress while for others the first response is to drop to their knees in prayer? (Please don’t take that as me saying I’m against meds that serve a purpose).

Much has been made of the difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is dependent on circumstances; joy is in spite of the circumstances.

Peace is the same. There is a settledness, a peace that some people have in spite of their circumstances. There is a well-told story about a lawyer named Horatio Spafford. He, his wife, and four children had booked a passage to Europe for a much-needed vacation, but at the last minute something came up that required his immediate attention. He sent his family ahead with the intention of joining them as soon as possible. The ship collided with another and sunk and only his wife survived. She sent a wire to him: “Saved alone.” In his grief, he booked the next passage to meet up with his wife. When they came to the spot of the shipwreck, the captain pointed it out to him. Mr. Spafford penned these words: “When peace like a river attendeth my way/When sorrows like sea billows roll/Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say/’It is well. It is well with my soul.'”

What kind of peace could lead Mr. Spafford to pen those words when his heart is breaking? A peace that is not dependent on circumstances. That kind of peace comes from the ONE who is bigger than the circumstances. Jesus once said, “My peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you.” That’s the kind of peace I want. How about you?

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April 23

Wednesday, April 24th, 2024

A fragile (and temporary) peace.

I read recently that on December 30, 1862 the Civil War raged. Union and Confederate troops camped 700 yards apart on opposing sides of Tennessee’s Stones River. As they warmed themselves around campfires, Union soldiers picked up their fiddles and harmonicas and began playing “Yankee Doodle.” In reply, the Confederate soldiers offered “Dixie.” Remarkably, both sides joined for a finale, playing “Home Sweet Home” in unison. Sworn enemies shared music in the dark night, glimmers of an unimaginable peace (Sort of like me playing my rock music and someone else playing country and both of us tolerating the other’s choice). 🙂 The melodic truce was short lived, however. The next morning, they set down their fiddles and picked up their rifles and when it was all said and done 24,645 soldiers died.

Reminds me of the WWII story of the German and British soldiers celebrating Christmas by laying down their weapons, sharing what they had, playing soccer together, exchanging laughs, and acting (and maybe wishing?) like the war was over. You can hear the story in this video.

Peace is fragile, as well as temporary. Try as we may, man will never be able to bring about true or permanent peace. All our treaties. All our papers. All our promises are, in reality, fragile and temporary. Treaties are made to be cast aside. Papers are torn up or burned in rebellion.  Promises are broken. We see it in school/childhood friends. We see it in marriages. We see it in communities. We see it in countries. And yes, we see it in churches.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but true, lasting peace is never found in man’s or men’s promises. And while it may last for a short period, it will never last for long. And certainly not forever. The only personal lasting peace is found in Christ, and the only true peace will be found in God’s new kingdom when Jesus returns and establishes it.

Until then…all efforts of peace are fragile and temporary. But we can still try. It begins with us! As the song says, “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.”

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December 20

Wednesday, December 20th, 2023

One of my blogging friends, Martha Jane Orlando, blogs at Meditations of my Heart.  She recently wrote and posted a simple but profound poem. You can find her blog and the poem here. To save you some time on the poem, here it is: “Holy candles/Lit in hope/Peace and joy/Laced in love/Everlasting/Flames ablaze/Light profound/Darkness flees/When God surrounds/The Soul and self. Amen”

That simple poem carries the essence of the Christmas story. Or maybe I should the essence of what we are looking for in the Christmas story or Christmas season. We all long for hope. We all long for peace. We all long for joy. We all long for love. If what I write is not true, check out the many Christmas songs we sing. How many of them talk about one of those 4 longings?

The story of Christmas, and yes, even the season of Christmas for those not even interested in the deeper story, draws people to those 4 longings in some way.  Sadly, there will be many who will seek the answer to those longings in the temporary-a relationship, a drink, a sentiment, a party with friends, even ringing a bell. But in the long run those 4 longings won’t be answered in or with the temporary. No, as Martha says, “Light profound/Darkness flees/When God surrounds/the Soul and self.” Profound and everlasting change will come only when the Eternal Father (God) surrounds us with His presence. When the baby in the manger, God made flesh, becomes more than a prop in a play. When the angels are more than dressed-up kids in white sheets and the wise men are more than kids in bathrobes. 🙂 Only when the truth of the Christmas story becomes more than a cute sentiment will those 4 longings become a permanent part of our lives.

Thank you, Martha, for the simple, yet insightful poem. Thank you, God, for the answer to the longings of each and every heart: love, joy, peace and hope…Jesus Christ, the baby born in the manger. The King who became a baby, who became a sacrifice, who is now a King again…AND WILL COME AGAIN AS KING.

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October 2

Monday, October 2nd, 2023

If there is one thing I know for sure, it is the fact that there are many, many people today who are missing one key ingredient in their life: peace. I recently finished a two month sermon series focused on anxiety, worry, and fear.

I cannot begin to tell you how many people asked me to pray for them because of one of those three emotions. Those who seem to have it the most “together,” who give off the air that “I’m cool and all is okay,” those who exude confidence, were some of whom came to me and asked me to pray for them.

You see… anxiety, worry, and fear show no favorites. Young. Old. Well-to-do. Struggling financially. White. Black. Hispanic. Male. Female. No respecter of persons.

There are some great examples in the Bible of people who found a calm and a peace in spite of circumstances.

Three Hebrew boys- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego- were faced with a furnace made 7 times hotter because the king was so ticked off they would not bow down and worship the king’s idol. They refused and even the king stood in amazement as a 4th figure appeared in the furnace and they were removed unscathed.

Daniel spent the night in a lion’s den. Hungry lions, who the next morning had a great meal of Daniel’s antagonists, never bothered him. He got some good z-z-z-z-z-s that night.

Even Job, who lost everything, except his relationship with God, refused to curse God and die (per his wife’s suggestion). Job kept his eyes on God.

All three of these example are just snippets of people who trusted in spite of circumstances. They exuded a peace we are often missing in our “know everything” age. Sadly, the one thing many don’t know, is how to find peace.

I do. It is found in the One who said, “My peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled.”

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December 2

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020

Christmas season is upon us. If we haven’t already, we will soon hear strains of love, joy, and peace. There is no question our world is in need of all three of those and more. The one which strikes me the most right now is the latter: peace.

As I write this in 2020, we have been through what can rightly be called The Year from Hell. It started with the China virus (Covid-19). It escalated into a summer of unrest and riots fueled by lawlessness and resulted in destruction of livelihoods and landmarks. Defunding the police. Crooked politicians who say, “Do what I say but not as I do.” A tumultuous election season. A resurgence and spike of covid.  A group known as “the squad” whose whole plan is to take down the democratic system we have. Socialism/Marxism fostered by groups like Antifa and BLM and some of the politicians plague us.

I want to echo the songwriter of I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day when he says, “Hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men.” Peace will never be found in our modern post-Christian culture which says human intervention will bring about peace. No. Peace is found in trusting the One who controls all things, even when we don’t understand what is going on, let alone what is going to happen next. Peace will not be found in “if I do this or that.” Peace will be found when we run to the One who is in charge and knows all things.

“Father, You are the One in charge. You are the true source of peace. Let me run to and cling to You.”

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March 19

Thursday, March 19th, 2020

As I read a blog yesterday, it referenced this one. This poem is by Paul David Tripp and was posted March 17, 2020 at his blog.  I thought it was very appropriate for what we are facing as a nation, as people, and as a church. There can be no better place to be than in the shelter of His wings.

SAFE

I am safe,
not because I have no
trouble,
or because I never experience danger.
I am safe,
not because people affirm
me,
or my plans always
work out.
I am safe,
not because I am immune from disease,
or free of the potential for poverty.
I am safe,
not because I am protected from disappointment,
or separated from this
fallen world.
I am safe,
not because I am
wise
or strong.
I am safe,
not because I deserve
comfort or have earned my
ease.
I am safe,
not because of
money,
or power,
or position,
or intellect,
or who I know,
or where I live.
I am safe because of the glorious
mystery of
grace.
I am safe because of the presence of
boundless love.
I am safe because of
divine mercy,
divine wisdom,
divine power,
and divine grace.
I am safe,
not because I never face
danger,
but because you are
with me in it.
You have not given me
a ticket out of danger.
You have not promised me
a life of ease.
You have chosen to place me in
a fallen world.
I am safe
because you have given me
the one thing
that is the
only thing
that will ever keep me safe.
You have given me
you.

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