Tag Archives: peace

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on October 28, 2015
Tags: , peace   

Peace and Light — Rev. David J. Schreffler

 

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October 28, 2015

“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried
on their nurses’ arms. Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill
and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.” Isaiah 60:1-5

“I’m reminded of two men who were talking about their New Year’s resolutions. The first man said, “We decided as a family, we watch too much T.V. My son watches so much T.V. that he doesn’t get his chores done. My daughter watches so much T.V. that she doesn’t get her homework done. My wife watches so much T.V. that she doesn’t get her work done.” The other man said, “Well, what have you decided to do?” “Well, I have decided that I’m simply going to unplug the T.V. That is as soon as the football season is over!”. God is counting on you and me to make our lives and the ministry of our churches great, but let’s not wait. Let’s begin today to discover the great possibilities ahead of us. In our scripture reading today, Isaiah is speaking about the peace that will come to the nation of Israel. Peace won’t come easily, but the reward will be great. The same is true for us. We can fulfill the great possibilities of peace and hope, if we allow the light of Jesus Christ to shine through us. Peace and hope won’t come easily, but the rewards will be great. May we all do our part in fulfilling the great possibilities God has given to each of us.” (Ron Newhouse, Daily Devotions website, September 22, 2015)

We all know that change does not come easily. And we all know that sometimes peace does not come easily. Each new year that comes along brings the possibility of positive change. During the New Year preparations, many people consider doing something that might change their behavior and their health for the better. And many of those same people quit their plans for change before the end of the month. But positive change does not always have to just involve our personal lives.

What might you be able to do to bring more peace into our families, into our churches, into our communities, and into the world? That is something you will need to consider. But when the light of Christ shines through us, we are capable of great things. “Arise, shine; for your light has come.” Each day can be another “new” opportunity for the Lord to do great things for you, and to you. When we allow the light of Christ to shine through us, we are capable of great things.

Pastor Dave

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on August 1, 2015
Tags: peace   

Peace — Rev. David J. Schreffler

 

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August 1, 2015

“Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts. Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.” Psalm 85:8-13 (NRSV)

“…the question I hear in the whole of Psalm 85….”When will we ever learn?” As humans we are forever returning to folly (NIV translation of verse 8c). No matter how many times the Lord rescues us from ourselves—and from the damage we do to one another—when will we ever learn? When will we listen to the Lord and live into the promised peace and wholeness that is ours in Christ? I hope we learn soon.” (Krista Vingelis, Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Church of Porterville, Calif.)

When we share the peace in our churches, it is a form of the “Kiss of Peace” (“Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you…” Romans 16:16). In my mind, it mimics the statement in the Psalm that says “righteousness and peace will kiss each other”. It is a moment in our day, and in our week where we put aside the hurt feelings, the pain, the sorrow and the grief and we share a moment of peace. There is an article in the July/August edition of “Scientific American Mind” titled The Social Power of Touch, by Lydia Denworth. In the article she writes: “(There is a) newly recognized system, known as affective or emotional touch, (that) consists of nerve fibers triggered by exactly the kind of loving caress a mother gives her child. It is possible that these neurobiological foundations of attachment might play a far more significant role in human behavior than has been recognized, forging connections and increasing our chance of survival. These fibers may also help our minds construct and integrate a sense of self and other, informing our awareness of our own bodies and ability to relate to people around us. It’s giving the brain knowledge of me and you…”

Touch, physical touch is so important to our social interactions and to our ability to be able to appreciate the others around us. It is, as Lydia Denworth states, “giving the brain knowledge of me and you.” When we refuse to share peace, I believe we isolate ourselves to our own detriment. Human touch, however, serves a neurobiological function, helping us all to forge connections. Of course, this is what helps us to form relationships with all kinds of people. Remember, Jesus used touch in his ministry on many occasions. It is when we have these kinds of connections that we cannot help but feel empathy and love for the others in our lives.

Pastor Dave