Through a glass darkly….

Grace. Beauty. Truth. Love.

Add in patience, forgiveness, integrity, caring, rest. For the purpose of healing self and others.

Are there any better guiding principles to help us keep focused, especially in challenging circumstances as we persevere through barriers?

If ‘Where’s Peace?’ is the question, Love really is the answer.

Consider:

Matthew 7:24-27

Jesus said: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Philippians 4:4-9

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

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Crazy Enough, by MercyMe

All of Creation, by MercyMe

 

Leaving it all behind

Horoscope for today was so aptly fitting:

If you are feeling hurt by someone’s harshness or criticism, be kind to someone else. If you are feeling angered by someone’s unjustness, be tolerant and fair to another person. If you are feeling lost or lonely, reach out to someone else who feels that way and offer comfort and friendship. By healing those around you, you can heal yourself. You’ve endured something recently that has left you feeling a bit off center. But the more goodness you send out into the world, the more will come back to you. (c) The Daily Horoscope by Comitic

So admittedly being a bit off centre, I couldn’t offer a better message than one I offered in January – a bit of ‘physician, heal thyself’ as the flavour of the day.  With updated songs, including an absorbing preoccupation with Bob Marley right now, remixed and blended by global ‘Playing for Change’ melomanes, along with the originally offered acoustic, solo piano instrumental rendition of Chris Tomlin’s “We Fall Down.”

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We Fall Down, by Chris Tomlin, played by Zachary Schmidt

(full lyrics)

One Love, remix of Bob Marley’s song, by Playing for Change global artists

(full lyrics)

There ain’t no hiding place from the Father of Creation
Sayin’, “One love, one heart
Let’s get together and feel all right.”
I’m pleading to mankind (One love)
Oh, Lord (One heart) Whoa.
“Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right.”
Let’s get together and feel all right.

The Gentle Gift

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

Quite a comprehensive job description for the One the prophet Isaiah predicted would come to his distressed people.  With titles of such magnitude, surely the coming Messiah would be one of such power that the enemies would simply perish, and a renewed state would evolve.  But in the quiet majesty of a pastoral scene, the cry of a newborn is heard, born in the humblest of surroundings.  Could this truly be the One?  Was this the new King?  How do we reconcile our fervent expectation with the reality of such understated beginnings?  What are we to make of the juxtaposition of such opposites?

Scriptural Passages:

(you can read the full Scriptural passages by clicking on the links)

Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Matthew 12:18-21

¹⁸ “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
¹⁹ He will not quarrel or cry out;
no one will hear his voice in the streets.
²⁰ A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory.
²¹     In his name the nations will put their hope.”

Philippians 4:4-7

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again:  Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Reflection:

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What Faith Can Do, by Kutless

Dec 2: Light, Love and Gratitude

 

To be touched by Light is to be touched by Love – the two go hand-in-hand.

And when we are graced with the presence of Light and Love, our hearts are also filled with gratitude.

God’s Love is like that.  It will reach in and touch all the dark spots, replacing them with Love, peace, safety, security… and for that we are forever grateful!

Scriptural Passage:  1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

(you can click on the link to read the passage from Thessalonians)

Reflection from  Message:

“How can we thank God enough for you….?”  How’s that for an expression of Love!  Thankfulness arises from the joy we share in relationship with others – and none deeper than from the joy that we share in our relationship with God.  The Christmas season inspires this Love – for it is now in Advent that we wait with joyful anticipation for the manifestation of God’s love here on earth – that through the birth of his Son, Jesus.

“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other, and for everyone else...”  It is exactly this Love that encourages us to risk reaching out to others – in our midst and beyond – to grow and strengthen relationships, bonds of fellowship through which we grow together and support each other.

And something else happens when we start accepting that Love from God:  we start to recognize and nurture the unique Spiritual gift God has personally planted within each one of us – and we begin to see the special Spiritual gifts in those around us.  What evolves is a new paradigm – where Love is the rule and the lens through which we see everything and everyone, and where we see that we are indeed standing on holy ground.  Praise be to God for that!

Love Never Fails, by Brandon Heath