Peace Be with You

 

The sign for the Lamb and Lion, Bath In Christian heraldry the lamb is the symbol of the Redeemer and the lion is the symbol of the Resurrection - geograph.org.uk, Author Trish Steel

Peace be with you in times of conflict.

Peace be with you in times of stress.

Peace be with you in times of political and social upheaval.

Peace be with you in times of deprivation.

Peace be with you in days of crisis and emergency.

Peace be with you when you are sure you are right and others are sure you are wrong.

Peace be with you always, the peace of Christ.

Peace be with you and be not like the Pax Romana warriors who imposed the peace of Rome at the end of a sword or through coercion and intimidation.

My tribe has a checkered history with forced conversions, violent power-grabbing, and militaristic exercise of religious dominance.

To deny that is to deny history.

We have not always been on the side of peace. Sometimes we have disturbed the peace in the name of peace and the Prince of Peace.

To not care is to ignore scripture. We are flawed in our common humanity and sin with a lust for power that we are willing to exercise with violence and coercion.

Our religions, no matter how legitimate or illegitimate can be illegitimately co-opted as an excuse for that power-lust and every evil methodology we can muster to acquire what we want and think we deserve.

In recent years, the world has been experiencing an extreme and frightening expression and demonstration of this. It is not the first in history and probably will not be the last. Everyone has a different name for it and the names are debated, but it is all one thing throughout history.

There are political and military battles that shall be waged, but the most important battle is unseen; it is timeless; it is the most real. It is waged in the secret place of prayer, the public place of speaking truth in love, and the relational place of living the life of faith to which we have been called - to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.

Live peaceably. Act in peace. Work for peace. Pray for peace ... shalom ... the complete well-being of people and communities as a result of God's grace and power.

A sure way to invoke the wrath of those who are for war is to be for peace.

It will take all of your prayer and strength not to break with your resolve, not to lash out, and not to wish ill upon your tormentors for their anger can be strong and their condemnation can be chilling.

But you have your marching orders from a higher commander and you are declared to be blessed by the Prince of Peace.

" Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech,
that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
Too long have I had my dwelling
among those who hate peace.
I am for peace,
but when I speak, they are for war!" - Psalm 120:5-7 (ESV)