Sherry Sterling

Dear friends,

I’ve struggled to write about the scripture readings for today. They’re hard, in light of recent world events. Taken one by one, I can explain most of them to myself: I can read the Psalmist’s assertion of being delivered from enemies as about desiring safety and connection with God; I can read the Old Testament reading as history of another time Jerusalem was under siege; I can read the New Testament reading as guidance for how to get along with each other. But the Gospel reading is one that has always caught my heart. It’s one of the times Jesus says he came not to bring peace, but a sword and discord.

I don’t want that to be so. I want Jesus to be all about peace.

I want us all to enjoy a sense of belonging. For us all to get along. Especially now, nearly two weeks into another war in the Holy Land.

But sometimes we have to take a stand. Saying Yes to something is a natural No to other things. We make choices. When I’m for Jesus, what does that naturally put me against?

What am I choosing? And who?

I am choosing love, not hate. I am praying to have compassion for people, while denouncing horrendously violent actions. I am looking at interactions with those in my life, looking for places where I might be contributing to discord, perhaps by holding a grudge, or retaliating, or wanting revenge, or where I’m not coming forward clearly.

I’m praying for peace, for others and in my own heart.

The closing hymn from last Sunday’s worship service gives words to a prayer for peace:

“Grant us thy peace upon our homeward way;
with thee began, with thee shall end the day;
from harm and danger keep thy children free,
for dark and light are both alike to thee.

“Grant us thy peace throughout our earthly life;
peace to thy Church from error and from strife;
peace to our land, the fruit of truth and love;
peace in each heart, thy Spirit from above; 

“thy peace in life, thee balm of every pain;
thy peace in death, the hope to rise again;
then, when thy voice shall bid our conflict cease,
call us, O Lord, to thine eternal peace.”
—John Ellerton 

Peace and love,

—Sherry