Christian Reflection and Prayer

"Peace I bequeath to you, My own peace I
give to you, a peace which the world cannot
give, this is My gift to you" (John 14:27).

One morning in 1888, Alfred Nobel, inventor of
dynamite, awoke to read his own obituary. The
notice was printed as a result of a simple
journalistic error -- it was Alfred's brother that had
died and the reporter carelessly reported the death
of the wrong Nobel.

To Alfred, the shock was overwhelming because
he saw himself as the world saw him. The "Dynamite
King" -- the great industrialist who had made an
immense fortune from explosives. This, as far as the
general public was concerned, was the entire purpose
of Alfred's life. None of his true intentions to break
down the barriers that separated men and ideas for
peace were recognized or given serious consideration.
He was simply a merchant of death. And for that alone
he would be remembered. As he read the obituary with
horror, he resolved to make clear to the world the true
meaning and purpose of his life. This could be done
through the final disposition of his fortune. His last will
and testament would be the expression of his life's
ideals and ultimately would be why we would remember
him today. The result was the most valuable of prizes
given to those who had done the most for the cause of
world peace. It is called, of course, the "Nobel Peace
Prize."

The Biblical word for peace is "Wholeness." There is a
kind of peace that can be achieved by isolating ourselves
from conflict or by deceiving ourselves about the world
and our own condition. Such a peace is an achievement;
the Peace of Christ is a gift. Such a peace is precarious;
the Peace of Christ is everlastingly triumphant. Such a
peace is the peace of a fragmented person who has
become detached from the unpleasant; the Peace of
Christ is the peace of the whole person -- the "whole"
person who is reconciled to God, to himself or herself,
and to the world. The true "pursuit of happiness" is the
"pursuit of peace of mind and heart and soul." And Jesus
makes it crystal clear, that only those who are wiling to
accept the healing, saving presence of God at the center
of their being -- and day-by-day, live accordingly -- can
achieve it.

CAN YOU ACHIEVE IT?

( some from Sermons on Line)
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Scripture:
"I can do all things through Christ, because he
gives me strength". (Philippians 4:13)

Reflections:

This verse, taken from Philippians, is a verse
that I wish I could keep in my head at all times.
I need to remember in my life there is nothing I
can’t do because Jesus Christ gives me strength.

I believe when God gives us physical and spiritual
strength, there is absolutely nothing that we
cannot do through him. I know everything can be
achieved by God, there is nothing He cannot do in
us, through us, or for us. In my mind I need to
keep this, I need to remember this, I need to
repeat this over and over again. There is nothing
he cannot do in us, through us, or for us.

You need to keep this in mind the next time you
are struggling. The next time you have a problem
that seems insurmountable. The next time that
relationship that you have depended upon for so
long suddenly seems to fail. You need to remember
there is nothing He cannot do in us through us or for
us. Go to God, believe in Him, it will work out, it will
be okay, because you see there is nothing
insurmountable in our lives that with God we
will prevail

Prayer:

Lord I know this is all true. Then why is it so difficult
for me to accept this? Why do I have to try everything
else before I realize that there is nothing you cannot
do in us through us or for us. Oh Lord help me to keep
this in my mind, help me to remember this. I know
that you are there for me and through you there will be
the answer. AMEN

Sojourners (Faith in Action for Social Justice)

William McCormick is a 70-year-old disabled retiree who
lives alone and gets by on $100 a month after he pays
all his bills. After recently learning that his local Meals on
Wheels chapter would have to put applicants on a waiting
list because of cuts to the program that resulted from
sequestration, he made a stunning sacrifice. He
voluntarily gave up his Meals on Wheels service.

"I just couldn't bear the thought of me having something to
eat and maybe somebody else needing it," he says.
Though confident in his decision, he misses the hot meals
and visits from delivery volunteers. He now relies on a pile
of canned food and hopes for an occasional ride to the
grocery store from his isolated apartment complex. [1]

William is just one example of the many ways vulnerable
people across the country have been hurt by the federal
budget cuts known as “sequestration.” Will you join with
other faith leaders in asking Congress to end the
economic brinksmanship and responsibly address
sequestration?

While the quiet sacrifices of people like William receive
little or no attention, Congress quickly responded to the
outcry from those affected by flight delays, altering the
cuts that had been made to the Federal Aviation
Administration. Our leaders listened to those with the
money to travel, but have ignored the voices of those
who are losing the assistance offered by vital programs
like Meals on Wheels.

A federal budget that prioritizes the wealthy while
ignoring the poor has the moral calculus all wrong.
Please urge Congress to prioritize our sisters and
brothers who are sacrificing and struggling to get by.

Faith leaders offer a moral voice on public policy issues
that is often missing in Washington. William’s story
reminds us that budgets are moral documents that have
real consequences. Thanks for joining with us to make
sure that as leaders in Congress fly around the country,
they don’t forget people like William.

Please go to:

https://secure3.convio.net/sojo/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&cmd=display&page=ActionAlertTakenPage&id=629

In faith,
Tim, Beau, Janelle, and the rest of the Sojourners team

[1] “Meals On Wheels Sequestration Cuts Taking Effect.”
The Huffington Post.