CHRIST'S PEACE

Saturday, July 28   “Olympics of Love”

Psalm 89: 1-2  (The Message)

“Your love, God, is my song, and I’ll sing it!

I’m forever telling everyone how faithful you are.

I’ll never quit telling the sotry of your love –

How you built the cosmos and guaranteed everything in it.

Your love has always been our lives’ foundation,

Your fidelity has been the roof over our world. “

     What would happen if we quit focusing on our obsession with conflict, battles, and fighting and concentrated on a little peace making?  What if we devoted our energy to promoting the incredible bond of love that unites us?

     The Olympics began last night in London – a fanfare celebration of the diversity, yet unity within us as a world.  What is all the fireworks, the shouting, the parades, the celebration was an embracing of the love of God that extends beyond all boundaries?  What about an Olympics of Love?  That could build a lasting peace!  A love worth ‘fighting’ for! 

D365.org GO!

“Go in peace –

With Christ now at your side.

God with a sense of ease

That only Christ provides.

Go to share the calm within.

Peace.

Peace again.”

      

Friday, July 27    “Knitting Peace”

Ephesians 2: 17-21  (The Message)

“Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders.  He treated us as equals and so made us equals.  Through him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father.  That’s plain enough, isn’t it?  You’re no longer wandering exiles.  This kingdom of faith is now your home country.  You’re no longer strangers or outsiders.  You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone.  God is building a home.  He’s using us all – irrespective of how we got here – in what he is building….now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. “ 

     Over and over Paul repeats himself – we are now ONE in Christ.  No more strangers, no outsiders and insiders.  We are a family of faith in God.  As in a usual family, we have our squabbles and fights, but we are bonded together in love.  Paul is right – we need to hear this again and again, like a parent repeating an old family story to make sure we ingrain the concept. 

     God is using us all to knit together a kingdom with Christ at the center.  One God, one Spirit, one body – together in love.  Amen, brothers!  Amen, sisters!

THURSDAY, July 26  "Breaking Down Walls"
Ephesians 2:14-15 (The Message)

"The Messiah has made things up between us so that we're now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders.  He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance.  He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped.  Then he started over.  Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everyone." 
     Two thousand years later and we are still divided into multiple groups, countries, denominations - separated by fear, prejudice suspicion, economics, and theology.  The walls are everywhere.  All of it is part of a huge wall that separates creation from our Creator.  Christ came to break down those walls.  But as long as we allow fragments to remain, unreconciled with those around us - we still remain unwhole before God.  There are factions that we don't allow ourselves to fully love: the poor, the imprisoned, the social outcast, the terrorist.  All, including ourselves, are broken children of God.  May we start with bringing peace to ourselves and those in our immediate community.  Let's tear down some walls - walls we might have to first acknowledge as existing within ourselves as well. (It is not just THEIR problem to help - it is OUR problem or flaw as well!)  Father God, help us tear down some walls!


WEDNESDAY, July 25   "Drawing Circles"
Ephesians 2:11-13 (The Message)
"Don't take any of this for granted.  It was only yesterday that you outsiders to God's ways had no idea of any of this, didn't know the first thing about the way God works, hadn't the faintest idea of Christ....Now, because of Christ - dying that death, shedding that blood - you who were once out of it altogether are in on everything." 
     This reminds me of a little verse I memorized years ago.  I have no idea who the author is. "He drew a circle that shut me out, Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.  But Love and I had the wit to win, We drew a circle that took him in."  The Gentiles were outsiders - not just physically through circumcision, they lacked the long history of relationship with God and the knowledge of Levitical law - they didn't belong to the God-team, they weren't in the game!  Many Jewish Christians wanted to keep it that way.  They knew the rules better.  It was their God first!  Or so they thought.
     That rebel Jesus redrew the circle with Love.  He has included us all equally.  We all get to play, we all belong.  Are we still drawing circles today?  Are the circles we draw  shutting out or bringing in?  Who do we need to include in Christ's circle, who feels left out of the game?



TUESDAY, July 24    "Interruptions"
Mark 6: 33-34  (The Message)
"Someone saw them going and the word got around.  From the surrounding towns people went on foot, running, and got there ahead of them.  When Jesus arrived, he saw this huge crowd.  At the sight of them, his heart broke - like sheep with no shepherd they were.  He went right to work teaching them."  
     Yesterday we talked about the need to find, perhaps make, time to Sabbath, to set aside the daily and seek the peace of Christ.  It might be that wilderness experience, it might be scripture, or it might even be the process of scribbling a picture and coloring it digitally to share!
     Yet, we get interrupted, sometimes by the trivial that we can quickly cast aside, but just as often by the needs of others.  Christ left the disciples in the boat for a bit longer to rest, while he attended to the needs of the crowd.  It may often be a balancing act.  Yet we can hardly say, 'Don't bother me with your needs right now, I'm busy learning how to act like Christ!'  No, we need to heed those interruptions and share the peace of Christ with another.  We may find that God will work through that interruption to bless both of us with his peace and grace.

MONDAY, July 23      "Come Away"
Mark 6:30-32  (The Message)
"The apostles then rendezvoused with Jesus and reported on all they had done and taught.  Jesus said, 'Come off by yourselves; let's take a break and get a little rest.'  For there was constant coming and going.  They didn't even have time to eat.  So they got in the boat and went off to a remote place by themselves." 

     More, more, more.  Where did we ever get the idea that more is better?  More stuff, more food, more money, more work as in more committees, more mission, more people.  Sometimes it just adds up to busyness - a cover up for not taking the time for a relationship with God.  Sometimes we might even work for God so much we omit the time to know God or hear God.  God gave us the concept of Sabbath for a reason.  He knew we would need it.  We need to learn to take it in our task oriented, 'get it done' world.
     Jesus said, 'Come away!'  Step aside from the To Do list, step aside from the crowd, step aside and spend some time basking in the peace of God, listening and feeling the strength and courage filling our hearts.  Rev. Katy preached yesterday on taking the time for a 'wilderness retreat' or a 'middle of the lake' experience, such as the disciples had.  We can trust Jesus to be at work while we are away.
     How can we not give priority to God's command to 'come away'?  We need to give ourselves a Sabbath.  It will prepare us to do the work of God better.  I think Rick and I will go take a hike today ....for spiritual purposes!  Maybe the 'middle of a mountain' will be just as good as the 'middle of a lake'!

D365.org  PAUSE!         Weekly author: John Woods
"Peace, even just a few moments of being truly at ease, seems very very hard to come by sometimes.  There are just too many options for doing something 'right now!'  Slowing down becomes a luxury....Peace...take a few moments within the heartbeat of God."




SUNDAY, July 22 
Jeremiah 23:5-6 (The Message)
"Time's coming - God's decree - when I'll establish a truly righteous David-branch;
A rule who knows how to rule justly. 
   He'll make sure of justice and keep people united. 
In his time Judah will be secure again
   And Israel will live in safety. 

This is the name they'll give him:
   'God-Who-Puts-Everything-Right!"
    Life is complicated right now.  The world is in turmoil.  It's hard to have hope that eventually all will be 'secure and safe' as we find in Jeremiah's words.  We are in the middle of a suspenseful, agonizing book or movie and we want to flip the pages to the end or click the remote to fast forward.  If we could just be SURE that the story will work out in the end, the middle is easier to read or watch.
     Our life in Christ is like that good book - no fairy tale here.  We have the hope and peace that comes from God's promise that justice will reign.  But still, we are in a world caught in the middle of the story.  The peace comes from knowing the ending ahead of time!  But it is up to us to keep turning the pages of the book - to work for peace, to share that peace with all.