June 29 - Psalm 85:8 - PEACE

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, PEACE,

patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Galatians 5:22-23 

 

I will listen to what God the Lord will say;

he promises peace to his people ...

-- but let them not return to folly.

Psalm 85:8

 

Recently I've been reading Eric Metaxas' award winning biography of Lutheran theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer -- Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. 

 

A champion of the Word of God, Bonhoeffer was one of the earliest and most vocal opponents to the anti-semitism and totalitarianism of the Nazi regime. He was eventually executed for his resistence.

 

In my reading today, I was struck by one of Bonhoeffer's explanations of peace:

There is no way to peace along the way of safety. For peace must be dared, it is itself the great venture, and can never be safe. Peace is the opposite of security.

"Peace must be dared." Why? Because of two things: 1) the threats of the world, and 2) our continual desire to adopt the comfortable ways of the world.

 

Therefore, we turn to today's verse which gives us a three step process to peace ...

1. "Listen to what God say[s]." From God's gentle encouragement to his most challenging commandments, God points the way to peace and life ... but will we listen? ... or will we go our own way?
2. Personal peace is a promise. It's a Fruit of the Spirit. Step two is: believe that peace is possible!
3. There will be challenges along every journey. The question is ... will we continue to follow his path? ... or will we return to our former foolish ways? (Folly.)

Listen ... Believe ... and Follow (instead of Folly) ... that's the way of peace! 

 

Peace must be dared. Will you dare to follow? ... or retreat comfortably into folly? 

  

In Christ's Love,

a guy who'll dare

to find peace