Good morning…
“A peacemaker prays,” writes Henri Nouwen. “Prayer is the beginning and the end, the source and the fruit, the core and the content, the basis, and the goal of all peacemaking. I say this without apology because it allows me to go straight to the heart of the matter, which is that peace is a divine gift we receive in prayer. In his farewell discourse Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Peace I leave to you, my own peace I give to you; a peace the world cannot give, this is my gift to you’ (John 14:27). When we want to make peace, we first of all have to move away from the dwelling places of those who hate peace and enter into the house of him who offers us his peace. This entering into a new dwelling place is what prayer is all about.”
What might it mean for us to move away from the dwelling places of those who hate peace? Resist the rhetoric of the hatemakers? Turn off toxic news? Stay out of divisive debates? Repeatedly choose not to fan the flames of discord or fuel the fire of angry animosity? Ask and answer honestly, “Lord, how might I move away from the house of those who hate peace?”
Next we ponder, “What are my best ways to enter into the house of our living Lord who offers us his peace?” Walk? Bathe? Journal? Meditate? Silence? Solitude? Notice nature? Enjoy music? Talk and listen? Soak in scripture? Ask and answer honestly, “How might I build my home in the peaceful dwelling place of God?”
To become a peacemaker, we must intentionally leave the house of hatred to create our permanent home with God. This is what authentic prayer is all about. As we pray, we are infused with a gift: Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge] (John 14:27, AMP).
Now as we listen to a sacred song and enjoy the calming images, we actively pray, “Lord, make me a peacemaker.”
…Sue…
