2-3-2016

Good Morning All!!   

       Judges 18:6; “And the priest said to them, “Go in peace. The journey on which you go is under the eye of the Lord.”

   I am always fascinated by reading diaries or reminiscing of people throughout the lives that they have lived.  It is interesting to see how everyday people dealt with events.  Reading or listening to people who were on WPA projects or served in the Korean Conflict or any event is amazing.  I remember reading about a couple, a soldier and his bride, during WW II.  They wrote of their fear.  The bride wrote of not knowing what he was doing or where he was.  They only had letters so communication was slow, maybe weeks with nothing.  She feared his capture or death.  She told of many nights of not sleeping, especially very early in the war when it sounded like maybe the US was losing.

    He told of fear as well.  He feared how she would cope without him.  He even mentioned that, deep down, he wondered if she would “flourish” without him and then not need or want him.  He told of not sleeping well either.  He slept with “both ears and one eye” open.  He would flinch at any noise and being a long ways from home many noises were varied.  He wondered what was next.  They were told very little so rumors were rampant and the rumors were never positive.  He told of times when there was almost total silence that fear would be almost thick enough to cut with a knife.  Both he and his bride looked forward to peace.

    Yet it took a number of years before the war was over and even then it seemed that the sides shifted and the battles continued.  There were new countries as new names became part of our vocabulary.   Chateau-Thierry, Monte Cassino, Luzon, Taejon, Khe Sanh, Khafji, Fallujah have all become part of our discussions.  We all long for peace but struggle with finding it.

    So we do many things to try and make it happen.  We build and stockpile horrific weapons believing they will deter people who oppose us.  We then talk and attempt to befriend them so that they will not hate us quite so much and wish this will bring peace.  Yet it never does.  This is because our perception of peace is all wrong.  Peace is not the absence of conflict.  Countries are not at peace because there is no conflict; often they are preparing for the coming conflict.  Families are not at peace because there is no conflict; even we do not have personal peace because we are not currently experiencing conflict.  The absence of conflict is not peace.  Peace is only found where there is the presence of Jesus.

    True peace only exists where Christ is present in your life and in your heart.  True peace only exists where forgiveness of sins is treasured and savored.  True peace only exists where the love of Christ rules supreme.

Father, grant us peace.  Give us the serenity of knowing your love and forgiveness.  Let us rest in your presence.  Let us share this peace with those around us.  Use us to be agents of your peace.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret