PEACE

“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the laws with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which to put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” (Ephesians 2: 14-18)

Injustice causes pain, not peace

How fleeting the experience of peace in the midst of perceived and experienced injustice. The injustice of attack, or exclusion, or misrepresentation, or deception, or other forms of violence and destruction.

There is a pain that accompanies injustice that is like an untreated impacted tooth or ulcer that just sits there and hurts. Sooner or later something must be done, or a more serious condition or even death will be the outcome. In the case of a tooth or ulcer, the injury is physical. But when the pain of injustice continues unresolved, the destruction is not of the body, but of the soul. The soul of a person, or a people, or an institution.

The Christians Paul wrote about knew injustice. They lived it daily. Yet, it seems in their effort to get some relief from their shared pain, they turned against one another. They could not see how to reconcile their differences.

But Paul offered them a way. I believe he asked them to consider that God, through Christ, had done inside them and between them what they could not do for themselves.

God brings healing

I believe God, in Christ Jesus, continues to do for us and between us what we cannot do for ourselves, if we are willing to trust God to do so. There is such a thing as healthy boundaries and knowing how to take care of oneself in unhealthy situations with unhealthy or unsafe people. And there is such a thing as discerning the safe people and places where reconciliation and healing are possible.

We can become the peace

I believe we can create places of safety and of healing as we stay so grounded in the peace of God, that we become the peace, and bring the non-anxious love of God with us into all the places we go. Not so things can be quiet or stay the same. Creating places where safety and healing are possible allow changes to occur which are deep and lasting. These changes are born out of a willingness to keep moving forward for the good of the whole, for Christ, for the kingdom of God--in spite of what have been barriers in the past within us and within our community, our congregations, our conferences. May we find the capacity to risk creating safe and sacred places where God can do what we cannot do within or by ourselves. May it be so with this upcoming Conference Session.

“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 be afraid.” (John 14: 27)

May this peace be with you.

--In Christ's Spirit, Bishop Linda Lee

God Is Still In Control!

Miss Lladale Carey

Web Producer

UMCGiving.org

lcarey@umcom.org