Sunday Devotion

Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. I have found an energetic peace this last week. In some ways this sounds like opposites: energy and peace. When I tried to resolve these two words in my mind, I did what I always do when faced with a question for which I don’t have the answer. I “googled” it. Surprisingly, I found info on Google that used these 2 words together.

In one search I found a couple of habits that were recommended to protect your peace and energy: 1) Keep your faith larger than your fear. 2) Develop an attitude of gratitude. For the first, I have testimony after testimony of God’s presence when I’m faced with a challenging commitment. With each experience, my faith has grown stronger making it a David vs a Goliath. And that, in turn, has fed my gratitude. Do you have testimony where God has held you up and bolstered you by the faithful act of the Divine?

In today’s world, we often define peace as a state of being without internal or external stresses. However, in the biblical world, peace means “to be complete” or “to be sound” and can only be found through God. Numbers 6:26 claims, “The Lord lifts up His countenance upon you, and gives you peace.”

When relinquishing control to God, we find a special sense of peace. It isn’t a sleepy, feet-up kind of peace. It is the sense of being whole and complete. Think about when you’ve heard the religious expression, “Peace be with you”. These words are a blessing meaning to “live well”, i.e., “Live well with God.” That is the peace I have been feeling, and it is the greatest, richest sense of well-being.

And it is that wonderful sense of well-being in God where I find my energy. When the disciples were behind a locked door after Jesus died on the cross, Jesus appeared to them. In John 20:21 Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” Isn’t it ironic that Jesus said I am giving you peace and as a result, I am sending you out? There, right there, is my peace and energy.

Last week I found myself with a multitude of things to do to make our church a warm, welcoming arm of God, ready for visitors from the Interfaith Unity Walk. But then I realized we already were a warm, welcoming arm of God. Peace and energy filled the space around us, mingling with the hosts and the visitors. We were on the path of sharing the peace of Jesus. 

I leave you now with these words, “Peace be with you.” Go out and be the instrument of love, hope, joy and peace. Amen.

​(Author - Bonnie Barber)