The peace of God is something that we can almost grasp, but I’m not sure we can ever completely understand. I take great comfort in scriptures that remind me that God’s peace is bigger than my understanding; like the verse from Philippians that begins, “And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding….” And as part of his farewell discourse in John’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”
Our scriptures remind us that the way of God in Christ is not the way of the world. Of course, we understand the ways of the world because we live here. It takes a different kind of effort or attention to live in the way of God. And God’s peace, frankly, is more radical than we can imagine. In the beautiful hymn “When Our Song Says Peace,” we hear, “When our song says peace and the world says war, we will sing despite the world.” Verse two begins, “When our song says free and the world says bound,” and verse three begins, “When our song says home and the world says lost.” This hymn is an acknowledgement that as people of faith, we stand in contrast to the ways of the world. Listen to and read the words of this hymn today and reflect on the radical nature of God’s peace. Where does this news of God’s song of peace bring you comfort? Where does it challenge you?
In Peace, Pastor Ruth
Let us pray:
Lead us, Gracious God, and shape us by the grace of Christ and the inspiration of your Holy Spirit. Open our hearts to expand our understanding of gentleness and peace, that we may grow in our ability to reflect your love and grace to those we meet this day. All this we ask in the name of Christ, Amen.