“You cannot find peace by avoiding life.” ~ Virginia Wolf
1 SAMUEL 4-6
The Philistines capture the Ark...yet God inflicts curses on them and as a result they return it back to Israel...
10So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
19But God struck down some of the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, putting seventya of them to death because they looked into the ark of the Lord. The people mourned because of the heavy blow the Lord had dealt them. 20And the people of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who can stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?”
21Then they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down and take it up to your town.”
Jesus warns that his life is not intended to bring about peace but in fact will bring about division...LUKE 12:35-59
49“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! 51Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
JOURNAL
I deeply desire that God would heal all my hurts and make my life full of peace, success, wealth and prosperity. Jesus clearly warns that his life was never intended for such. It would therefore go to reason that my life can never be filled with ease and comfort. Sin is still at war with love and as a result...peace will only be in occasional rest from the battle for my heart.
This is a hard word but it is God's word spoken directly from Christ. I must humbly accept this reality however in doing so God promises a peace of heart and mind that passes all understanding.
This is a hard word but it is God's word spoken directly from Christ. I must humbly accept this reality however in doing so God promises a peace of heart and mind that passes all understanding.
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Proverbs 3:34-35)
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