“I will listen to what the Lord God is saying,
for He is speaking peace to His faithful people
and to those who turn their hearts to Him.”
– Psalm 85:8 (BCP)
Though you probably don’t say these words at breakfast on Sunday mornings, you could – and their energy might take you right to church; open your ears to prayer, hymn, and sermon; sign you up to teach Sunday school; even get you back there for the Tuesday night Bible study.
God’s speaking will not be limited, though, to churches. Once we are ready to hear, God will use the most mundane moment at the office, a chance encounter with a stranger, even our own image in the bathroom mirror, to teach us, to “speak peace” to us.
The peace of which, and with which, God will speak may not comfort. It may distinctively dis-comfort, painfully prick our conscience, drive us to sacrifice confident prejudice for risky tolerance, even force us out into yet another battle with old familiar evils. God’s peace can move us into forgiving, even loving, a cherished enemy. God’s peace may empty our bank account, open our spare bedroom, fill our days off, amaze us, delight us.
God’s peace-speaking will open our ears and turn our hearts to hear more. May the energy of that peace recreate us in God’s image, ready to do God’s will.
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I read this a while ago in Forward Day by Day
and discovered it afresh last week.
Calligraphy by Tim Botts found here.
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4th Point 