1 Kings 19: 9a, 11-13a
Psalm: 85: 9-14
Romans 9: 1-5
Matthew 14:22-33
It is much too simple, and yet truthful all the same, to assert that 'peace' is a by-product, a deep assurance of God's intimate presence. Time and again in the Gospels, the Risen Christ greets his disciples with, "Peace!". He's echoing the scriptural greetings of the archangels whenever they, the messengers of God, appeared to humans. (Let's be honest, if an angel or previously-dead man appeared to you, wouldn't a sense of peace be exactly what you'd need?!)
There's a sense that this peace is hard-won.... not a simple fact of a lovely sunny, cool day with an ant-less picnic in your favorite locale... but the deep assurance that in whatever our struggles, whatever the storms that may surround us, God is there. God is there and ultimately will not let us come to ruin. It is, I think, unfair to blame God for these 'storms' as if God tests us in order to reward us--- that's just sort of passive-aggressive, which has never been one of the traditional names or descriptions of our Creator!
Rather, while God is perfect, and creation is good, the reality is that humanity, and life, is imperfect. And as the old saying goes, 'bad things happen to good people'. Unemployment. Foreclosure. Illness. Strained Relationships. Flunking a Course. Where is God? There may be no immediate fix, but remember Elijah and listen for the still small voice, remember Peter and reach out for Jesus.... focus on the peace in the whirlwind as a guide for how to live through it and come at last to the assurance that God IS with us.
- Do you pray every day, taking time to listen as well as talk?
- Where in your life do you feel ill-at-ease? Are there changes you could make that would lead you to peace?
- When have you felt God's presence holding you up through difficult times?
- Do you have an opportunity to extend that peace of Christ to someone who is now weathering their own storm?
Inquiry meets August 9 at 7pm.
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