Monday, March 3, 2014

Dear God,

Why does peace look so different to each of us?  Why do we perceive peace as something that comes to us only when someone else changes?  Why is our peace so often dependent on others?  When do we take control of our own peace?

I know we each must change.  I know societies need to change.  I know groups need to change.  I know families need to change.  Everything changes.  It must for the sake of growth and well being.  However, when we blame others for our lack of peace, we stay in constant frenzy.  We judge others as the reason for our restlessness.

Even faith must change.  It needs to be fresh every day.  Yesterday's faith may lead to today's complacency if we are not alert to what is happening around us.  Sometimes tragedy reshapes our faith, making it stronger. Sometimes loss can cause us to rethink what we believe.  Sometimes we may even learn how small our faith has been.  Sometimes we discover our faith is really not even our own.  It may have been our grandmother's faith or a friend's faith.  Leaning on other's faith does not inspire us to grow our own.

On his last earthly visit your son said in today's words, "Peace I leave you, not the world's peace but peace of a different kind."  Oh Lord, if only we would trust you wholly to lead us in peace even when we live in the midst of chaos.

Great Peace-Loving God,
teach us
to trust you.
As we
move toward change,
give us
a peaceful center.
Shine your light
on truth
that reveals
real peace
is an
inner work
not an
outer one.
Show us
the way
to peace
for all people,
I pray.

Love, Andrea