A place where my thoughts, words and feelings converge…
Category: Portraits of Life – Seeing God in All
I have discovered a new and exciting hobby of taking photos and sharing God’s Words as they inspire me to be in complete “AWE” of how great our God is! I hope you enjoy the photos.
Mark 2:23b-24, “As the disciples made their way, they were picking the heads of wheat. The Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look! Why are they breaking the Sabbath law?”
Hello friends! I am slow in posting today! I am on vacation and and yesterday was a full and busy and emotionally charged day. In today’s companion devotional, Juan Huertas reminds us of things/practices we learned early in life while important can change as we grow and hopeful mature or at the least experience life. A beautiful practice of praying by kneeling and placing our hands together with a bowed head teaches us to be still, reverent and at peace to enter into conversation with the Divine! It’s an awesome experience and fully needed and I believe to be honoring to God. With that being said, as we are called to discipleship the work we do is often while upright and in the business of the world, how wonderful that we can call upon the Lord God Almighty at anytime and anywhere. Honor and cherish the things of the past and make room for new practices and ways to share God’s love in the world.
Luke 9:1, “Jesus called the twelve together and he gave them power and authority over all demons and to heal sickness.”
In the next verse, Jesus sent the disciples out to minister to the people in Luke 9:2, “He (Jesus) sent them out to proclaim God’s kingdom and to heal the sick.”
Our author, Juan Huertas reminds us that each week as we leave Sunday morning services and we are dismissed with the phrase, “Go in Peace” is an opportunity to go into the world sharing the love of God with everyone we encounter. Go in Peace! Go and spread God’s Shalom – God’s healing, wholeness, completion, integration, salvation – in the world. Go – you have authority; you have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to be Christ in the world.
Our WORSHIP has ended.
Now our SERVICE has begun.
My church used to say this at the end of our church services every week and I loved it. I’m not exactly sure when it started and when we stopped but I miss it dearly. It reminded me that Sunday morning was just the beginning of my week and it continues until I’m back in the Sanctuary the next week.
I’ve known for some time that anyone can be a witness for Jesus and that our actions speak much louder than our words. I’ve long been interested in learning more about the scriptures and understanding the meanings held with them. I’ve attended church for as long as I can remember and I have such fond memories of church activities during my youth. Family and church have always been synonymous for me throughout my entire life. I have been so blessed throughout my life to have strong Christian role models, from Sunday school teachers to ministers. My parents sacrificed so much so that my brother and I, both could attend a Christian elementary and high school (Grace Christian Academy). Growing up in rural America, college had never really been on my radar but when the opportunity presented itself, again my parents sacrificed so I could attend a Christian college (Judson College now Judson University). To say that I am blessed is such an understatement! As I look back on my life so far, it is so clear to see in hindsight that God has been preparing me for the life I get to live right now. I get to share my thoughts through this medium with all of you, you bless me by your support. I am honored to serve my church as an Elder and privileged to lead a weekly bible study and a monthly devotional with a women’s group. I have long desired to attend seminary with the possibility of maybe becoming a minister someday. Who knows, that may still happen but either way I’m thankful to be in the service of our Lord Jesus Christ. If my actions lead only one person to know salvation, to God be the glory!
Friends, as we start out a new week let’s be reminded of the endless possibilities to represent Jesus in our daily lives. Take time to made eye contact with someone, hold a door open, say thank you and you’re welcome, think before you speak a word in frustration or in anger, be the better person, be Jesus in a world of need.
John 13:35, “This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.”
Love. It’s the easiest and hardest thing to do. We, as a society use the word to describe a plethora of things from people, places, things, animals, jobs, cars, and even our selves to name a few. The Bible certainly tells us about love several times throughout the scriptures.
According to the Christian Bible Reference the word “love” appears in the KJV 131 times in the Old Testament and 179 in the New Testament. The amounts increase based upon the translation used, below is an example of NASV, NIV and NRSV.
What does the word love mean? According to Merriam-Webster it is:
• affectionbasedonadmiration, benevolence or common interests
• anassuranceofaffection
• warmattachment, enthusiasm, ordevotion
• theobjectofattachment,devotion, oradmiration
• abelovedperson
• unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good
• thefatherlyconcernof God for humankind
• brotherly concernforothers
• aperson‘sadorationof God
I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s timing. I just received my daily email from Abbey of the Arts and the quote is perfect for our topic today.
To be honest with you, I spend a lot of time contemplating “love” especially with regard to the Jesus’ commandment to us, to love one another. Not just a family member, not just the neighbors on my street, not just the people I like, no…Jesus meant everyone, everywhere. Sometimes I get caught up in the idea I have to like someone to be able to love them, but Jesus didn’t say that. He simply said, “Love one another.” John 13:35. How do we reconcile to people we have never met, who live and work under different circumstances and live under different kinds of government and who worship differently than we do. The “unknowns” can certainly be scary. I have a friend who recently shared a story with me where she described having a disagreement with her husband, I don’t recall the details, only her response, “Yes! I love you but I don’t like you very much right now!” That provided a lot of clarity for me about “loving.” Love is possible in the midst of not fully liking or agreeing with another. There’s a big part of me that thinks this might be close to what Jesus is telling us to do. Loving without restraint and barriers or even boundaries is hard, at least it seems that way to me. I suppose my human self-preservation and protection mode kicks in when it comes to things like immigration and humanitarian efforts, I mistakenly place myself in a position of arbitrary control when in fact I have none. You see I’m a “rule” follower and enforcer mentality and I’m not opposed to either cause and in helping others, I just tend to be very concrete in my thought pattern and too often too rigid. As a Christian and as a child of God, I want to love others and help others I’m just cautious and timid, maybe even lacking a bit of faith. I’m. It giving up though and I certainly do not want you to either. Our world is hurting in so many ways right now, I believe in the power of prayer and in God. My hope is to work towards a common ground goal and be supportive of world peace, learning to respect people’s choices and to love them especially when I’m not sure I even like them.
Friends, thank you for spending some time reading my thoughts, feelings and emotions. Feel free to leave me a message if you want. Let’s continue to support one another and to prayer for each other. Let’s place our trust in God! May your day be filled with joy, laughter and love. ~Peace~
Below are some bible verses about loving one another.
1 Peter 4:8 EVS, “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”
Romans 12:10 EVS, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”
1 John 4:7 EVS, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:11 EVS, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
Romans’ 13:8 EVS, “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.”
Galatians 5:13 EVS, “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
John 15:12 EVS, “ This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”
1 John 3:11 EVS, “This is my commandment , that you love one another as I have loved you.”
Leviticus 19:18 EVS, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am theLord.”
1 Thessalonians 3:12 EVS, “And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you,”
Breath Prayer:Praise the Lord! …I am loved by God.
Luke 6:37, “Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
Judge:
• one whomakesjudgments
• one whogivesanauthoritativeopinion
Condemn:
• todeclareto bereprehensible,wrong, orevil usually after weighting evidence and with our reservation
• topronounceguilty
Forgive:
• toceasetofeelresentment against
• togiveupresentmentof or claim to requital
Antonym for Judge:
• approve
• flatter
Antonym for Condemn:
• exonerate
• clear
Antonym for Forgive:
• punish
• blame
Luke records in chapter six, the words of Jesus, “Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged…”. The verse goes on to tell us to not condemn and to forgive. This verse is something I honestly contend with on a regular basis. As our author, Juan Huertas puts it, “human beings are quick to make assumptions in microseconds in order to categorize people and circumstances.” Sometimes this happens due to the nature of our jobs and other times it’s just the nature of a specific situation we are experiencing. Making judgment calls are necessary, it is entirely a different story if we pass judgment for no other reason than “because we can.” Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should do it! None of us are perfect, though we may strive for perfection, in the end we are all fallible human beings.
There’s many ways to try to combat the ills of judging others, to include at times condemning them. One such way is to mentally and emotionally placing ourselves in the place of those we are judging. Metaphorically speaking, walking around in their shoes. And, a second way is to remind yourself of the last time you were judged by a peer or boss, how did it make you feel? Do you really want to make someone go through those feelings? Remember, we are talking about judgment not supportive conversation for growth.
Once we start down the path of judging, condemnation is always close behind, before we even realize it, we are judging, condemnation turns the tables and we are neck-deep into talking about someone and making assumptions about their life, their actions, their clothes, their car, you name it, nothing is regarded as sacred. This can happen within minutes but the damage caused can last a lifetime. If we could just train our brains to work more closely with our mouths, life would be so much smoother. If for a split second, we could pause and think about the ramification of our words and imagine for a moment the tables were turned and we were in the “hot seat” and it was our reputation and personhood that was being judged. This reminds me of the “Golden Rule” taught to me in elementary school, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Those are strong words!
Jesus tells us to forgive and we will be forgiven. I like to think of it this way as well, “Forgive others as you want and hope for forgiveness.” If I want, hope or even expect to receive forgiveness from others I must be willing to extend forgiveness as well. When we cease to forgive, we have no more hope. Society as we know it will be no more. Compassion will have died. We must practice forgiveness, we must be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world. Sharing the love of God with everyone we meet, whether it is done in word or deed, all to the glory of a God!
Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Brothers and sisters, friends and family I pray that you experience the love of God in real tangible ways today! Let’s continue on our path through the Lenten season, remembering the great sacrifice of God, our Father and of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. ~Peace be with you~
Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of world. A city on top of a hill can’t be hidden.”
The scripture verse today tells us that we are the light of the world. We are Jesus in this world. Being a disciple is not something we do just on Sunday’s and other church functions. My opinion is quite opposite, I attend church services and functions for a variety of reasons, instructions being high on the list. I also attend for the opportunity to connect with other believers and renew my strength in Christ and strengthen the bonds of brotherly/sisterly love. It provides a space to have conversations face-to-face that often gets missed in our technological world of texting, iMessaging, emailing to list a few. It’s a chance to shake hands and exchange hugs, make eye contact with another person. These are all great things to help us interact in the world around us in our daily lives. At church it’s typically rather easy to know that you’re a believer in Christ, plus most of us wear those name tags so we are even more easily identifiable. But what about when we are in the grocery store and the lines are long and there’s a stressed out mom with not one crying child but two and she’s just wanting to get milk and diapers and go home. Or you’re in traffic and you’re on a schedule but there’s a traffic accident and no one is moving, cars are surrounding you, horns are being honked, tempers are flaring and people are shouting and pointing at their wrist watches and fit-bits, as if they are the only ones that matter. It is in these moments that we are called to be a “light” to the world. We are to shine so bright that people stop and pause as if time itself had been suspended just for their benefit. A moment of clarity, a brief snippet of time to take a breath and realize things are going to be fine. A deep breath to recalibrate our senses, to stay in the present state of reality and stop our imaginations from going all haywire. One kind word in a moment of utter chaos can make all the difference. It may not fix the situation but it will force a break in the rhythm and current course and hopefully change the outcome to something more positive and at the very least a different direction.
What is the point in attending church, reading the Bible and studying the Bible If when we are in the world we look, act and sound like everyone else. How do people know that you are different, how would someone know if you have a personal relationship with God, with Jesus?
Do they know by your words?
Do they know by your actions?
Do your words and actions tell the same story?
As disciples our countenance should speak loud and clear to the people we meet.
Are you a city on a hill?
Do you shine for Jesus?
As we continue our journey through Lent, reconnect as needed with God and seek his will, his strength and his light! God bless you friends!
Breath Prayer: Lord of light,…help me shine for you.
Matthew 5:13a, “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its saltiness, how will it become salty again?”
Salt is a common item almost every household in the world has on a shelf. While researching salt and the verse for today, I discovered a wonderful website called “Salt Works” I have provided the link under references below. Here’s a sampling of the page, “As far back as 6050 BC, salt has been an important and integral part of the world’s history, as it has been interwoven into countless civilizations. Used as a part of Egyptian religious offerings and valuable trade between the Phoenicians and their Mediterranean empire, salt and history have been inextricably intertwined for millennia, with great importance placed on salt by many different cultures. Even today, the history of salt touches our daily lives. The word “salary” was derived from the word “salt.” Salt was highly valued and its production was legally restricted in ancient times, so it was historically used as a method of trade and currency. The word “salad” also originated from “salt,” and began with the early Romans salting their leafy greens and vegetables. Undeniably, the history of salt is both broad and unique, leaving its indelible mark in cultures across the globe.”
Author, Juan Huertas offers us a story about uses salt while cooking. He and his sister were preparing spaghetti for dinner, at different times during the cooking experience they both added salt to the dish knowing it was an important seasoning. Unfortunately, since they both added salt the final product ended up being too salty and being kids thought perhaps adding sugar could remedy the problem. You guessed it, it only added sweetness to the already too salty mix. Their mother suggested that only by adding more meat to the already salty dish could have helped it to be less salty. Salt is a wonderful addition to many dishes as it heightens the fullness of its flavor. But too much can ruin the entire dish.
Moderation works best in most things.
As I was reading an article on https://www.christianity.com I discovered that there are differing opinions on Matthew 5:13, on the subject of salt:
• Some think that its whiteness represents the purity of the justified believer.
• Some say that salt’s flavoring properties imply thatChristiansare to add divine flavor to the world.
• Some believe that Christians are to sting the world with rebuke and judgment the way salt stings an open wound.
• Some assert that, as salt, Christians are to create a thirst for Christ.
However, the author of this article suggests that it stops decay, and that when Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth”, He meant that all of His disciples were to serve as preservatives, stopping the moral decay in our sin infected world.
Salt was used during Jesus’ time as a way of preserving fish, they would pack fish with salt to keep it from rotting or spoiling, it would be kept safe to use when needed. The article states, “The spiritual health and strength of the Christian is to counteract the corruption that is in the world. Christians, as salt, are to inhibit sin’s power to destroy lives. This in turn creates opportunity for the gospel to be proclaimed and received.We have been given a wonderful privilege to be the salt of the earth, but Jesus gave us a warning. The second half of Matthew 5:13 states: “But if salt loses its taste, how would its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men”. Jesus did not say that we can lose our salvation; He said that we can lose our saltiness. When salt is contaminated it becomes corrosive and poisonous. Contaminated salt cannot even be used for fertilizer on the field, so it has to be thrown on the road. If we have allowed disobedience, carelessness and indifference to rule our lives, we have become contaminated salt and have lost our saltiness. We need to confess our sin and let the Lord restore us to the purpose for which we were called.”
There’s a lot of information available on the subject of salt and lots of opinions and views on Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:13, I have read several articles today and I don’t disagree with any, and I believe Jesus is telling us to share the gospel with the world, our specific neighborhoods, where we live, work and play. We can season/add salt to the lives around us through our actions and our words, sometimes with a “pinch” of salt and other times with a “heaping” or “rounded” helping handful of salt. As Christians, we need to listen and be led by the Holy Spirit when witnessing to others and be careful not to season too heavily with “salt” being mindful of who we are representing. We are disciples!
Friends, I hope you are able to glean exactly what you need from this post especially given the large amount of information I shared. I’m a blessed and excited to be on this Lenten journey with you. Your support and prayers are felt and deeply appreciated. Thank you, blessings and peace be with you today and always~
Breath Prayer: Way-making Lord,…remove my distractions.
Matthew 5:11-12a, “Happy are you when people insult you and harass you and speak all kinds of bad and false things about you, all because of me. Be full of joy and be glad, because you have a great reward in heaven.”
These verses remind me of something Jesus says later in chapter five, in verse 38-42 called: Law of retaliation
“You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth But I say to you that you must not oppose those who want to hurt you. If people slap you on your right cheek, you must turn the left cheek to them as well. When they wish to haul you to court and take your shirt, let them have your coat too. When they force you to go one mile, go with them two. Give to those who ask, and don’t refuse those who wish to borrow from you.” ~ Matthew 5:38-42
I have to say these instructions are difficult to hear. No one likes to be insulted or harassed and then to make it worse we are to let it happen plus turn the other cheek? Honestly, I struggle with this, I personally get very defensive when I feel attacked, or whenever someone else I care about is being attacked. I’m not really much of a fighter, my feelings get hurt easily and I cry relatively easy as well, BUT I can also get mad rather quickly. My voice gets loud and I start talking very quickly, I say things I wish I had said sooner, before they festered and grew under my skin. I think the biggest obstacle is “pride” our own self-preservation of pride. It gets in the way of growth and maturity especially when it comes to interpersonal relationships. The “my opinion/belief” is right and yours is wrong, not allowing for differing opinions to coexist. When I think about all the lives that have been lost due to the inability to listen to others, to consider options, to agree to disagree and to choose life and love over hate and brutality it saddens my heart. Many people have died for their faith, for social justice and individual rights to name only a few. People so committed to their cause it cost them everything, everything except the most important, their soul. As believers, no one can take your soul because it is safe with our God.
Our author, Juan Huertas tells us about Óscar Romero in the reading for today. He was a Roman Catholicism Archbishop of El Salvador in the late 1970’s, who was assassinated for speaking out on behalf of the poor. Others that came to mind while reading were Martin Luther King and Gandhi. I was reading some additional stories online and I found a fascinating article I was unaware of and what to share it with you. Many may know it already but just in case you don’t I listed the website below. It is from the bbc, UK Martyrs of the Modern Era, published July 9, 1998. Ten 20th century Christian martyrs have been commemorated with statues at Westminster Abbey in London. The statues were unveiled before the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey.
• In 1918, the Grand Duchess Elizabeth of Russia was killed by the Bolsheviks.
• Manche Masemola was a Anglican catechumen from South Africa who was killed in 1928 by her parents at the age of 16.
• Maximilian Kolbe was canonised by the Roman Catholic Church after being killed by the Nazis in 1941.
• In 1941, Lucian Tapiede, an Anglican from Papua New Guinea, was killed during the Japanese invasion.
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor and theologian. killed by the Nazis in 1945.
• Esther John, a Presbyterian evangelist from Pakistan, was allegedly killed by a Muslim fanatic in 1960.
• One of the world’s most famous civil rights activists, Martin Luther King, a baptist, was assassinated in 1969.
• In 1972, Wang Zhiming was killed during the Chinese cultural revolution. He was a pastor and evangelist.
• In 1977, Janani Luwum was assassinated during the rule of Idi Amin, in Uganda, for being an Anglican Archbishop.
• Oscar Romero was a Roman Catholic Archbishop in El Salvado, assassinated in 1980.
When people do what Jesus would do, when we do what Jesus would do, we are living our discipleship and it will not be popular and might cause trouble. Jesus never promised that the life of discipleship would be easy but it is worth it. We may not see the fruition of the seeds we plant but the cultivating we do is laying the groundwork and a firm foundation for the future.
A favorite verse of mine is 1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”
Juan Huertas closes with words of encouragement to us, “Hold on tight. Lean on the love of God. Continue to do what Jesus does. Do not be discouraged, the world needs to know the salvation of our God.”
I want to say, “Keep up the good fight, Love like Jesus.” The world needs you, you were born with a purpose and a plan!
Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Isaiah 14:24, “The Lord Almighty has sworn, “Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.”
Breath Prayer: O God, give me courage…to love like you.
Matthew 5:10, “Happy are people whose lives are harassed because they are righteous, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.” (CEB)
Greetings to you all~
I hope everyone had a restful and soulful Sunday. I had an amazing worship experience with my family and friends at church. It is truly a blessing to be free to worship God, Free from harassment or persecution. Not all believers have this luxury. In many parts of the world it can be quite dangerous to share the love of God and Jesus Christ. Loving and professing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior can lead to trouble, should that deter us from doing what is right, what is just? During this Lenten journey we have talked about doing what Jesus did, to love deeply and welcome broadly. Asking ourselves the question, “What would Jesus do?” WWJD. Jesus loved loudly, he loved the unwelcome, the despised, the diseased, the afflicted, the sinner…the marginal and the left behind. This is exactly who we are called to minister to, just as Jesus did. I’m reminded of Jesus telling of his mission to the Pharisees after He had spent time with Levi, the tax collector, “Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” ~Luke 5:31-32.
Let’s rejoice in following Jesus’ example and to not become complacent in the luxury of life, to pray for those who are harassed for their faith. And to ask ourselves the hard questions, “Am I welcoming enough? Am I accepting enough? Am I loving enough?” This season is an opportunity to more fully connect with God and if needed recalibrate ourselves to serve like Jesus. May God’s blessing rain upon you as you live like Jesus.
Breath Prayer: Surprising Lord, …help me be like you!
Matthew 5:9, “Happy are people who make peace, because they will be call God’s children.”
Depending on which translation of the Bible you use the word “peace” is also used referred to as “peacemakers”. Below are examples for you and I’ve included a reference at the bottom of this page.
Peace:
• astateoftranquilityorquiet
• freedomfromcivil disturbance
• astateofsecurityororder withinacommunityprovidedfor by law orcustom
• freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions
• harmonyinpersonalrelations
• a state or period of mutual concord between governments
• apactoragreementto endhostilitiesbetweenthosewhohavebeenat war or in astateofenmity
• used interjectionally to ask for silence for silence; calm; or as a greeting or farewell
Peacemaker:
• one who makes peaceespecially by reconciling parties at variance
In the biblical dictionary peace is described as, “The Meaning of Peace.” In English, the word “peace” conjures up a passive picture, one showing an absence of civil disturbance or hostilities, or a personality free from internal and external strife. The biblical concept of peace is larger than that and rests heavily on the Hebrew rootslm, which means “to be complete” or “to be sound.”
The biblical dictionary states that “Peacemaker” occurs only in the plural in (Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers (eirenopoioi): for they shall be called sons of God” (who is “the God of peace”)). We have also what seems to be a reflection of this saying inJames 3:18, “The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for (the Revised Version margin “by”) them that make peace” (tois poiousin eirenen). In classical Greek a “peacemaker” was an ambassador sent to treat of peace. The word inMatthew 5:9would, perhaps, be better rendered “peace-workers,” implying not merely making peace between those who are at variance, but working peace as that which is the will of the God of peace for men.
Just a few weeks ago I was talking with a friend about being a “peacekeeper/peacemaker” and at the time I said that such a person does not necessarily need to be quiet, calm and tranquil. Those are often attributed to peace but sometimes to keep the peace one must raise their voice above the noise of the crowd or the situation in order to be heard. Peace often comes after a storm has passed. Harmonious relationships sometimes start out or at least go through some battles that cause considerable noise/fighting. Two of my favorite movies remind me of individuals I would call peacemakers. The first is, “Gandhi” he fought for India’s independence with nonviolent civil disobedience that was not always peaceful. And my second favorite, “The Inn of the Sixth Happiness” it is the true story of Gladys Aylward (Ingrid Bergman), a British maid, who believes that she is destined to go to China. She is rejected as a missionary, but she eventually finds her way to the town of Yang Cheng. Her peaceful existence, however, is interrupted by Japan’s invasion of China. Aided by Lin Nan (Curt Jurgens), a half-Chinese/half-Dutch military officer, Gladys must lead a group of orphans to safety by embarking on a dangerous mountain journey. I find both of these stories truly fascinating and their courage infectious. If you have never seen either of these movies I highly recommend them.
If you grew up in a large household you probably can think of someone who was known as the “peacemaker” or the “peacekeeper” that one person who tried extremely hard to keep everyone happy and content, all at the same time. That’s a tall order to try to fill, in fact it is impossible because one person is not capable of making everyone happy, all at the same time. This is where compromise comes into place and a peacemaker can be beneficial. I actually experienced a situation just a couple of days ago where I walked in on a heated conversation with some coworkers and my first instinct was to not get involved or at the very least lose my temper and say something I might regret. I listened intently for what seemed like a long while, maybe 5-8 minutes, oh and by the way, I stayed in the room/office because the conversation related to me as well. Motivated by not wanting to regret saying something in anger or at the very least disrespectful, I tried keeping the peace by staying quiet. Then I ask myself the question, “What ways if any do I want to help make or reach peace in this particular situation?” I impulsively opened my mouth and words and phases starting spewing out of my mouth, like a broken water pipe. I was not rude, or cursing or being disrespectful but I was getting a lot of things out that should have been said a long time ago. I was asked to stop yelling at one point in the conversation, *I tend to get louder when I’m excited/passionate about something. I apologized immediately and stated I didn’t mean to sound like I was yelling and I lowered my voice and continued articulating my points in the conversation. This situation lasted about 2 hours and had been going for an hour before I opted in. I am happy to report that by the end of this situation/conversation everyone felt as if they had been given the opportunity to speak and be heard, procedures and practices currently in place were questioned and alternatives were suggested, frustrations that have been pinned up for years were released as if a dam had been breached and flood waters raged over dry dust plains that had been long forgotten. It was not a peaceful conversation but in my humble opinion each person was acting and serving as a peacemaker for the sake of everyone involved. I wish I could report that things have all been resolved; however, they are still pending at the moment but I have faith things will change nonetheless.
The writer of the Lenten Devotional I’m using, Juan Huertas stated the following, “…to follow Jesus, to be a disciple, means to be a peacemaker. Peacemaking does not require a lack of conflict. Conflict is part of life; it means that we have opinions, varied stories and different passions. Conflict means that there is something at stake, that there have been some misunderstanding and a disconnect.” I just love that! Don’t you?
Friends, let’s work together around the world to be “Peacemakers” not for the sake of ourselves but for humanity everywhere because the kingdom of God is at hand and we are called into Discipleship. ~Peace Be With You~
Breath Prayer: “Lord, make me…an instrument of your peace.” *attributed to Francis of Assisi
Matthew 5:8, “Happy are people who have pure hearts, because they will see God.” (CEB)
As I read today’s message, I found myself trying to define “pure heart.” Without looking up the definition or googling it, my answer is someone who it true, truthful, honest, sees only good in others and in the world.
Pure:
• free from harshness
• free from roughness
• being in tune
• containing nothing that does not properly belong
• unmixed with other matter
• free from taint
• free from what weakens
Throughout our lives we all have been ask similar questions such as these:
• What are you living for?
• What do you most desire?
Depending upon the context of these questions being ask our answers could be different in a broad scope. Let’s narrow our scope, which sounds entirely wrong to me from a Christian perspective. Our broad answers would include things such as our jobs, our education, job positions, our relationships to list a few. In regards to what I suggested as a more narrow view is our spiritual life, our eternal life…simply stated “Our Life!” What are you living for? As a believer in Jesus Christ, my answer must be Jesus! The One who created me, the One who loves me. What do you desire most? As a follower of Jesus Christ, I desire to live the life I was created for, seek to do God’s Will.
I read an article prior to writing this blog post written by Imanuel Christian titled, “12. Blessed Are The Pure in Heart (Matthew 5:8)” From The Series: Studies In The Gospel of Matthew. This is a quote from the article, ““Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). That’s it! That’s the goal of the Christian life! That’s what we are living for – that we may live our life in such a way that we see God. If we see God, that will open up the treasure trove of all the blessings, not only for eternity, but also for life here and now. And the key to open that treasure trove is a pure heart!” WOW! Isn’t that true!
The article goes on and includes fascinating truths about the Beatitudes, “This is the most central and the most significant of all the beatitudes mentioned in this fifth chapter of Matthew. You cannot be poor in spirit without having a pure heart. You cannot mourn for the things that displease God without having a pure heart. You cannot be meek, you cannot hunger and thirst for righteousness, you cannot be merciful, you cannot be a peacemaker or be prepared to stand persecution for the name of Christ without having a pure heart. Actually, this is one of the most central principles of the Christian life that we see in the whole Bible. The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.”
“THE HEART OF THE MATTER IS THE MATTER OF THE HEART!”
We are human and sinful but we do not have to live sinful lives. We can seek God, search for God, abide in God, pray to God, ask God for forgiveness. We are always welcome in God’s house, God’s heart. Jeremiah 29:13, “You will see me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.“
The more I read about the beatitudes the more clearly I am understanding its relevance to discipleship and growing in my relationship with God. I hope the same is true for you. Blessing to you today! Thanks for traveling with me on this beautiful journey!
I found this song and it says everything I wanted to share in this post, I hope you like it as much as I do, I think it’s absolutely beautiful.
~Peace~
Breath Prayer: O God, create in me … a clean heart.
DISCOVER 
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