And A Time of Peace

And a time of peace.  (Eccl.3:8d)

4 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—  Ephesians 4:1-4 (ESV)

How fitting is it that when King Solomon was closing this part of his lisitng of "a time to or fors" that it ended with " and a time of peace."  You know at the end of the day, that's all many of us want.   Truthfully we probably would take it at the begining of our day, during our day, as well as at the end of our day too!  But the reality is.....peace is somewhat hard to come by, simply because we are in a fallen world.   There are forces and voices constantly working against what God designed urging us to do & say things that don't necessarily bring peace, but rather inject confusion.   This is the very reason why Paul, while imprisioned is writing to those that are free in the congregation of Ephesus that he begins Chapter 4 with "urging" the reader to walk in step with GOD has it relates to their calling, and to do so with gentleness, patience, perserverance through love, and an eagerness to maintain unity of the Spirit in what keeps us together, peace. 

People take of work to get peace.  They go on vacations to get it.  They shut off their phones, take sabaticals, they, we are sometimes willing to do anything to escape to get peace.   If peace were a drug we'd all be addicted.  If peace were food, we'd be obese because we simply can't get enough of it.  Even the most outgoing extroverted person even wants a little peace everynow and then.  There's this saying that use to hang in my cube, it read " Some people bring peace when they come, others bring it when they go."  So my question to you...is which are you?  Do people generally enjoy your presence?  If no, why not?

TODAY you will probably leave the house, and as you prepare to do so lemme urge you to be peacekeepers.  Some of us are in your face, sometime even confrontational and there is a place for that, but let's seek to maintain unity on the job (because you are all there to do one, and if no one else is...you should be the one pointing what you do, and why you do it towards GOD.) unity in your home...(be patient with your spouse, your kids, your neighbors especially, and even your pets.) unity abroad ( don't feed into political negativity, don't be found complaining while waiting in line, don't look for ways to divide people but be ruthless in bringing them together) and lastly within yourself (how.....control your thoughts by 

Philippians 4:8-10 (ESV)

⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹ What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

LOVE GOD, LOVE PEOPLE  (thank you all for bearing with me these last weeks through this A Time For Devotional Blog; I love you all.)