Peace with All?

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

—Romans 12:18

That’s a tall order, and we should note two things: 1) “If it is possible,” and 2) “as far as it depends upon you.”

It’s not always possible to be a peace with everyone, but I believe sometimes I don’t go as far as I could to make it happen.  You too? It’s worth thinking about, and we should think about it through a “Jesus lens.”

Peace is rooted in love and a willingness to forgive – to absorb pain and injustice for the sake of relationship. That’s what the Cross is all about. Lord, help me.

Giving All

This prayer by Anselm (1033-1109) nearly 1000 years old, really gets to the heart of following Jesus:

Lord, because you have made me, I owe you the whole of my love; because you have redeemed me, I owe you the whole of myself; because you have promised so much, I owe you my whole being. 

I owe you more than my whole self, but I have no more, and by myself I cannot render the whole of it to you. Draw me to you, Lord, in the fullness of your love. I am wholly yours by creation; make me all yours, too, in love.

A Few Words

It’s amazing how a few words can change your day and even your life. Here are a few that could do just that. Why not commit them to memory and live them out? Let’s. . .

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

— Romans 12:12

I hope you have a great week! Just take it as it comes and work through it with the words above in mind.

Sunday

Today is the day to gather with other believers, and among other things, it is the time to worship, to express gratitude, and to remember the Story we live and live out. For many these are troublesome times, but those who believe have a peaceful perspective.

In my distress I prayed to the Lord,

and the Lord answered me and set me free.

The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear.

What can mere people do to me?

Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me.

I will look in triumph at those who hate me.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to trust in people.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to trust in princes.

— Psalm 118:5-9

Press On!

I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

—Philippians 3:10-14

The Decision

The answer? 35,000. The question: how many decisions does a person make in a day?

This was part of a class discussion last night, and the answer, while just the good guess of experts, is surprising if not staggering. Of course, for the most part, we operate on “auto-pilot” and make most of these decisions without thought.

The main concern of the class last night was how many decisions do we make daily that require faith. You know, the “walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7)” decisions. All of this is hard to measure but is worth thinking about.

It  really comes down to one decision. Once we are on one particular path, then all the decisions we make somehow reflect that fundamental one. Jesus requires a response, a fundamental decision that will affect all other decisions. Following him is the best hardest decision you’ll ever make.

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

—Jesus in Mark 8

Fretting

To me, fret is a funny sounding word. It rhymes with sweat and regret, and it seems there is a whole lot of it going on. I dabble in it, but I am trying to stay away from it. It’s not becoming.

The word shows up a few times in Psalm 37, and God is against it. Fret’s replacement? Trust in the Lord that comes from being still, which allows us to recognize he is in control–always has been and always will be.  Fret’s replacement includes delighting in the Lord’s ways and participating in them with commitment and conviction.  Listen to David:

Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.
Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

– Psalm 37:1-7