When asked by a reporter wether God was on the side of the North, Lincoln is said to have responded, "My concern is not whether God is on our side, but whether we are on God's side!"
The Bible makes it clear that God loves THE WORLD. God loves ALL people. We are commanded to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, strength and to love our neighbor. Jesus even goes so far as to command us to love our enemies. Jesus teaches forgiveness and reconciliation as well as to refrain from judging one another. Yet so many of us who claim to be Christ followers turn our head to these commands and live in a world view that feels it is right to kill our enemies and participate in war.
On September 22 - people around the world will be gathering in public places to remind one another and the world that peace is a better way. As followers of Christ, who is named by scripture - the Prince of Peace, and who wept over Jerusalem because it didn't know the "things that make for peace" it is time we begin to examine our beliefs on this topic and adjust our actions according to what we find in the Bible - especially in the teachings of Jesus, who when he said "love your enemies", probably didn't mean to kill them!
Community of Joy will be part of the day in the Salisbury City Park on Sept. 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. You are welcome to join us for this event. And even more importantly, I invite you to begin a study of the scriptures in regard to becoming a people of peace. Recall that one of the beattitudes is "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called Children of God."
Seek Peace and Pursue it!
One of the heros of faith in the Church of the Brethren is M.R. Zigler who made a modest proposal for peace, "Let the Christians of this world, agree that they will not kill each other." That would take us in the direction of being on God's side!
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