Peace Live A River

This is what the Lord says—
    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God,
    who teaches you what is best for you,
    who directs you in the way you should go.
If only you had paid attention to my commands,
    your peace would have been like a river,
    your well-being like the waves of the sea.

                                    (Isaiah 48:17-18 NIV)

 

Indeed! The Lord does know what is best for us. But, we often think we know better than God. We often choose the wrong paths and find ourselves in chaotic messes trying to figure out what went wrong and how in the world we're going to find some semblance of peace. What went wrong sometimes happens to be is that we rejected the Word of the Lord; we have rejected those things that our Father in heaven has sought to teach us. We have rejected the good gifts that He desires us to have and have chosen to follow in the ways of the world and we ultimately find ourselves wallowing in the depths of despair.

 

The world is a mess. We've helped to make it that way. But, no matter what kind of mess you find yourself in you can know peace. It is the peace that only God can give to us. In the midst of the storms, we can know peace that flows forever like a river. We can know peace as refreshing as the cool waters of a gently flowing river.

 

Do not fear! Do not despair! God is with you. Listen to Him and know the peace that only He can give. 

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Rescue Me From Sinking Mire

But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
    At an acceptable time, O God,
    in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me.
With your faithful help rescue me
    from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies
    and from the deep waters." Psalm 69:13-14

The Silver River is extremely high again this year. It has invaded the back yard creating a bit of a mess. In order to get to the river's edge, one must trudge through the muck and mire, sometimes sinking up to one's knees. But, the important thing is that we will, in fact, be able to get to the river's edge; to the place of promise. We may have to trudge through some sludge; a bit of muck and mire; but, the goal is well worth it.

Even as we find ourselves journeying through a lot of muck and mire in this world, we know that God hears our prayers and answers. In His time, out of the abundance of His love, He delivers us from our enemies, even if our enemy is our self.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Revelation 2:1-7 Remember Your First Love

Revelation 2:1-7 NIV
Bishop Frederic Baraga, missionary to the Ojibwa, during the 1800's, often reminded the people to "remember their first love." In his vision, St. John was instructed to warn the church at Ephesus about their falling away from their first love, who is Jesus the Christ.

Whenever we put anything or anyone before our God, we are committing idolatry. God must always come first and everything else will fall into it's proper place. How often we neglect to put God first in our lives! It is so very disheartening to see those who profess to be Christians putting so many other things of this world before worship and service to God.

The message to the people of Ephesus is an excellent example of both law and gospel. Jesus, in John's vision, commends the church for their hard work and perseverance; for the fact that they cannot tolerate wicked people; and have confronted those who claim to be apostles and are not. Even as they are being commended for their faithfulness in these areas; they and we are being warned against idolatry. Remember your first love. Remember him and keep him first in your life.

"Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." (vs 7)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Acts 16:11-15 Down To The River To Pray

Acts 16:11-15 NIV

I have always had a very strong inner desire (maybe need) to be near water. I spent most of my married life, until a few years ago, looking for a little piece of land on the water that we could actually afford. But, I finally found it. It is a very small piece, indeed, on a river at the head of a bay. It took a bit to convince my husband that we should purchase it. He doesn't appear to have the same desire to live near what as I have. He referred to it for a long time as the swamp. We purchased it for a get-away camp and ended up living in it. It is small; but, it is ours. I drive down the tree-lined driveway and thank God for giving it to us. Here, I am able to know peace. It is my place of retreat. Here near the water, I have my place of prayer.

When Paul and his fellow missionaries arrived in Philippi, a city with very few Jews, they knew where to look for the local prayer meeting. They headed down to the water to look for the Jews who would be gathered there to pray.

In Jesus' day thee needed to be ten men in order to establish a synagogue. In lieu of this, the people met for prayer near the water if possible. I tried to find out if there was any reasoning behind this meeting being near water; but, my research was in vain. I do not know why the Jews gathered at the water to pray. I know a few of the reasons that I do. First of all, it is very quiet and peaceful here. But, more importantly it reminds me that in the beginning water covered the whole earth and God pulled back the water so that there was land. Then, taking some of that land that had been under the water (mud), He created humankind. We are people of the mud - taken from what my husband would call a swamp... Living near the water I am also constantly reminded of my baptism into the Body of Christ and that my sins have been washed away through the death of my God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, my Lord. Through the waters of baptism, I have been freed from all bondage. So let's all go down to the river to pray...

For a bit of listening pleasure here's one of my favorite songs:  Down To The River To Pray - Alison Krauss  

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ezekiel 29 - I Am the LORD

“On that day I will make a horn grow for the Israelites, and I will open your mouth among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 29:21 NIV)

Israel, had trusted in Egypt to protect and care for them; therefore, not only will Israel go into exile, but Egypt, as well. For forty years, the LORD promises, that the Egyptians will be scattered among the nations for thinking that they, themselves, were some kind of god, in control of even the river Nile.

God's hand extends way beyond just those who purport to be followers of Him. He is the creator of all things and all things are His. He will care for His whole creation according to His will. May He always be with those who have been exiled. May God guide those whom He has sent out into the wilderness for refining or for testing or for whatever reason He has sent us there for so that we might know that He is the LORD above all lords. We are not god. He is!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 66 - It Is Well With My Soul

     Well, this is kind of interesting. As I read today's reading, Isaiah 66, I thought it looked real familiar. Today is the 7th Sunday after Pentecost and this morning verses 10-14 of chapter 66 will be read aloud around the world, as they just happen to be our Old Testament reading for today.

 

“Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
    all you who love her;
rejoice greatly with her,
    all you who mourn over her.
For you will nurse and be satisfied
    at her comforting breasts;
you will drink deeply
    and delight in her overflowing abundance.”

For this is what the Lord says:

“I will extend peace to her like a river,
    and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried on her arm
    and dandled on her knees.
As a mother comforts her child,
    so will I comfort you;
    and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”

When you see this, your heart will rejoice
    and you will flourish like grass;
the hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants,
    but his fury will be shown to his foes."  (Isa 66:10-14 NIV)
 

     This morning, I am, again, reminded of that beautiful hymn "All Is Well With My Soul," written by Horatio Spafford after the tragic loss of his daughters as the ship they were traveling in across the ocean collided with another. He penned:

    "When Peace like a river attendeth my way... when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul. Though Satan should buffet, through trials should come – It is well with my soul."

     It is well! It is well! It is well with my soul. I remember sitting in a workshop on grief years ago and hearing that assuring those who are grief stricken of the kingdom promised to all believers brings no comfort to the person grieving. This workshop was being led by a Pastor and she was speaking from her experience. She had resented the Pastor who had preached a Gospel Sermon at one of her loved one's funerals. She said it brought her no comfort and it brings no one else comfort. We need, she said, to grasp reality at a time like that and the reality according to her is that when you are dead, you are dead. Period. The resurrection should not be included! It kind of blew me away and I had a hard time hearing anything else she had to say.

     I did not comprehend her line of thinking then and I still don't understand it. The good news of the kingdom through Jesus Christ is the only thing that I know that can possibly bring comfort in a time of such great loss. The reassurance that Christ is with you at such a time is the only thing I know that will bring even a semblance of peace to the grieving soul.

     Quite a few years ago, I had agreed to officiate at the funeral of a man who I did not know well. We are a very rural community and clergy often get asked to bury those whom we do not know, so that's actually quite common. In this case, I knew the man's son and mother. I knew his mother well. She was a very faithful Christian. I did not hesitate to agree to commend her son for her. However, a day before the funeral, I received a call to let me know that the man was not Christian and that his son had requested that there be no mention of Jesus at the funeral. The man had been an atheist. Yet, his family wanted me there. His family and his mother, especially, needed to hear the Gospel. Tricky one - that funeral was! How to bring comfort to a family when there was no hope in the resurrection - no hope in the Kingdom of God? It's like saying "Peace, Peace, when there is no peace." (Jer 6:14, 8:11, Ezek 13:10, 16)

     Following that funeral, I advised the funeral directors in the area, that if there was even a hint that I would be asked not to proclaim the Good News at a funeral let me know so that I could refuse with enough time for the family to find someone else; because, I can bring no one comfort. It is not I, nor my words, nor my presence that brings comfort to anyone. It is the Word of God, His presence, His promises, that brings peace to the soul of those who are afflicted, no matter what the affliction might be.

     "When Peace like a river attendeth my way... when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul."

                                    God's Peace be with you - Pr. J

 

P.S. For more the proclamation of the Gospel and peace like a river, see you at worship today!

Isaiah 48 - Peace Like A River

Silver River, Aura, MI

"This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you what is best for you,
who directs you in the way you should go.
If only you had paid attention to my commands,
your peace would have been like a river,
    your well-being like the waves of the sea.”" (Isa 48:17-18 NIV)

The hymn "When Peace Like a River" or "All Is Well With My Soul" is a favorite among many. It is one of my favorite hymns. It was one of Pr. Bob Manthei's, who served here before me. It was written by Horatio G. Spafford in 1873. Not long before, his four daughters had died in a collision with another ship as they crossed the Atlantic. His wife survived and sent him this message, "Saved alone." Later, as he, himself, crossed the Atlantic and neared the spot where his daughters had died, he was inspired to write this hymn. The LORD, in His mercy has taught us that no matter what befalls us, it can be well with our soul. All who abide in Christ will know the peace that only He can give.

"When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul."

Today, Isaiah reminds us that we are to turn from worshipping false gods, and to trust in the LORD, our God, and all will be well with our soul. Our peace will be like a river. But, for those who turn their backs on Him, there will be no peace. “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.”

When will we turn from our stubborn, stiffnecked ways to live in peace? To live wholly for and in Christ? "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.  For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." (Eph 2:14-18)

And... all is well with my soul! May it be well with your's.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 32 - Fruit Of Christ's Righteousness Is Peace

Our Worship and Music Committee spent a little bit of time after Worship yesterday selecting hymns for the months of July through September. "When Peace Like A River" was selected as a favorite hymn for most of the month of September.  A few of those lessons during September are pictures of anything but peace. Even as we thought about changing the hymn, we remembered that the peace that Christ brings is not the same peace that the world strives for. The peace of God is more like a calmness of heart or spirit in the midst of a storm. There may be trouble in the world, but there is peace within the one who knows Jesus.

It doesn't sound so good for Israel. Isaiah prophecies a storm. There is trouble brewing. The Assyrians will definitely bring chaos to the complacent people of the land who have felt secure in themselves. They may as well get rid of their fancy clothes now and beat their breasts for a storm is about to rage in on them.

But, there is hope. A king is coming (in our case has come and will come again). He will reign with righteousness and justice. He is our refuge in all storms. And... as the LORD promised through Isaiah:

"The Lord’s justice will dwell in the desert,
his righteousness live in the fertile field.
The fruit of that righteousness will be peace;
its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.
My people will live in peaceful dwelling places,
in secure homes,
in undisturbed places of rest.
Though hail flattens the forest
and the city is leveled completely,
how blessed you will be,
sowing your seed by every stream,and letting your cattle and donkeys range free." (Isa 32:16-20 NIV)

Peace is the fruit of the righteousness of Christ. We know peace within when we know Christ, even if and while the world is in a raging war.  

God is our refuge and strength. He is the peace that has reconciled us to Him and the whole Body of Christ. The world cannot do this. Only the righteousness of Christ can.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 133 - How Good To Live In Unity

"How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!" (Psalm133:1 NIV)

Falls River, Baraga County, MI

Now, that is an understatement! It is great when people can live together in harmony and unity. Try it, you'll like it!

May the LORD, open our eyes, our minds and our hearts to a greater understanding of what living in peace with one another really would be like. If we could see the great pleasures in store for us maybe we would be more inclined to live together, with our neighbors, in peace. Like a river flowing, beautifully, over the rocky places, so would our lives be.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

2 Chronicles 7 - Fire Came Down and the Wind Blew

I'm running a bit late this morning...  Fire came down from heaven last night or maybe it was the wind and split my apple tree in two, with half of it laying on the ground.  The power has been out since 1:30 a.m..  Since, I still had stuff left in the church basement to haul to St. Vincent DePaul's from the youth rummage sale, figured I'd come to the church and work for a bit. 

Before I went to bed last night, I said a prayer:  thanking God for my little home that He gave to me out in the middle of the woods and at the mouth of a river.  (You will hear a lot about this place from me - I love it and thank God everyday for it!) Thing about the location is that when it rains real hard the water comes right up to the back door.  That's not necessarily all that bad.  When the power goes out and we have no water, because the pump on the well won't work without electricity, I can step off the back deck and take a bath.  The lightning was flashing so steady last night, I didn't even need a flashlight to get around the house.  Each bang and boom from the thunder was joined with the sound of may other thunderous claps - made for quite a concert.

The rain and lightning don't bother me much.  I suppose if the lightning struck something I was about to cook (as in the reading today) that might bother me and yeah I'd probably fall on my face and start praising God pretty quick, too.  What bothered me a little more than it usually does, were the high winds.  I really do live in the woods.  I have huge cedar, pine, oak trees (to name just a few) surrounding my little yard.  I mean "really big" as in 70 to 80 feet tall. So tall the eagles like to sit in them and watch out over the bay.  Well, if one of these come down and my little home, it and I would be smooshed.  So, before I fell asleep, as I watched them swaying in the wind, I thanked God for the home that He has blessed me with and asked Him to keep it intact throughout the night. 

When I woke up this morning, the water was up to the back step, but the roof of my house was still on.  No huge trees down.  The only thing on the ground, beside for a few branches, was half of the apple tree which I just asked my husband last week to prune :)

God is good.  He is very, very good.  His steadfast loves endures forever!

P.S. I pray that God has kept your home and you safe throughout these storms we've had of late.