Sitting in the pew as what we then called a Junior High student, I was flipping through the back of the hymnal. The Baptism section had this line from St. Augustine as its opening sentence —
“You have made us for Yourself,
O Lord,
and our hearts are restless
until we find rest in You.”
— Little did I know the long term impact of that, or the author, or the One to whom both point us.
But wow…such life-giving words…!
In John 14:27, our Lord makes us an offer unlike any other —
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in that go-to manual, THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP —
“The followers of Jesus
have been called to peace.
When he called them,
they found their peace.”
Christ Jesus himself in John 14:27—
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Wish I’d written this. Okay, wish I’d written pretty much anything he did —
“God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.” — C.S. Lewis in MERE CHRISTIANITY.
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
since as members of one body
you were called to peace.
And be thankful.”
— Colossians 3:15
Hmmmm?
Hmmmm.
Let’s pardon the dated language (or update it in our heads as we read), and let Henri J. Nouwen in his classic, THE WOUNDED HEALER, help you and me today —
A man can keep his sanity and stay alive as long as there is at least one person who is waiting for him.
The mind of man can indeed rule his body even when there is little health left.
A dying mother can stay alive to see her son before she gives up the struggle, a soldier can prevent his mental and physical disintegration when he knows that his wife and children are waiting for him.
But when “nothing and nobody” is waiting, there is no chance to survive in the struggle for life.
Council of Bishops’
Advent message:
Embrace, Live our Vision
The Council of Bishops are calling on United Methodists to embrace the denomination’s new Vision during this Advent Season.
Council of Bishops’ President, Bishop Tracy Smith Malone, writes:
“Advent is a time of expectation and renewal—a season when we prepare for Christ’s coming as we live into our shared Vision in tangible ways as disciples of Jesus Christ.
- Love Boldly: As Christ’s love breaks into the world, we are called to extend grace and compassion to neighbors near and far.
- Serve Joyfully: Advent reminds us that service is a gift. Every act of kindness becomes a sign of God’s kingdom breaking into our communities.
- Lead Courageously: In times of fear and despair, we lead with faith—proclaiming the good news that Christ comes to dwell among us.
“So, as we light the candles of hope, peace, joy, and love, let us embody these gifts in our homes, churches, and communities. Advent is not passive waiting; it is active preparation. It is living our vision so that the world may know Emmanuel—God with us.”
Show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of the hope to the very end, so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:11-12 NRSV)
joescheets 