This past weekend Abby and I went to our Sister's baby shower. It was a really great time however I was really uncomfortable. I have had a lot of things on my mind and this past weekend it was all crashing down upon us like a wave of uncertainty and despair. But beyond that I was still uncomfortable and I couldn't figure out why. Then I came into work and started reading this book that I got for Christmas. The book is the Bible Dictionary. I started paging through when I came across the section of peace and being a peacemaker. That is when I realized what was going on Saturday, I didn't have any peace. I know this may be confusing so let me explain and I will warn you I am going to be brutally honest.
There were so many groups of people at this shower. It seemed that all aspects of my life over the past 25 years were all meeting in one room (with the exception of High School, Thank you God!!) As I've grown up and gone through the different stages of my life I have collected a museum of hurts and wounds, some that people have inflicted on me and others that I have caused. Being in a house with all the people who either inflicted or were affected by my actions reminded me of those scars and that just filled me with a gambit of emotion. At times I was annoyed, angry, bitter, resentful and shameful toward everyone. Now hear me on this I am not pointing to one individual here. So please don't read this and think "Oh no is it me," cause it was not just one.
So when I came here Monday and started reading about peace it got me thinking about this whole situation. Peace is defined as a condition or sense of harmony, well-being and prosperity. The biblical concept means more than just the absence of hostility as this definition implies. The Hebrew word as is spelled in English is "salom" we say it "Shalom." It means to have peace or safety, yes but it is also taken a step further. This word talks about wholeness or intactness.
To have peace is to feel whole or intact. An important custom in biblical times was to wish someone peace. In other words to wish them a feeling of wholeness, safety and hoping that they have a focus on security.
Jesus takes it yet another step further in Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God." A peacemaker is defined as one who actively works to bring peace and reconciliation where there is hatred and enmity. God declares them His children and blesses them. Just break the word down, a maker of peace.
So what is it going to take for you to make peace? I want to start right now and make a stand. I want to obey My LORD and be a maker of peace. So right here and now I want to say, if I have ever done something to you that caused pain or strife, I am truly sorry. I apologize for whatever it was that I did and I ask you to forgive me. Likewise all those who I feel have burned me in some way I forgive you. We don't need to go through who did what to whom; I just want to forgive you and move on from here. I want to actively create peace between me and all whom I come in contact with. So I forgive you and the next time you see me I'm not going to hold feelings of anger or resentment toward you.
I encourage you to do whatever you need to do to be a maker of peace.
May our LORD be with you and may you have peace
No comments:
Post a Comment