The Advent of Peace...

I pray that this is the advent of Peace.

We have seen enough conflict.  We have seen enough chaos.  We have seen enough turmoil and unrest.  We have seen enough lack of well-being in the world that drives it all.  We have seen enough disrespect, exploitation, occupation, oppression, xenophobia, ethnocentrism and nationalism that drive a lack of SHALOM.

The protesters are right - no justice; no peace.
If there are inequities of hope, of life sustenance, of respect, of acceptance, of equality, of dignity, of opportunity and life conditions then there cannot be Shalom.

SHALOM is well-being, completeness and wholeness.
If some have more than they need and others go without what they need at their hands, there can be no shalom.
If some have all the power and wield it over others, especially those different from themselves, then there can be no shalom.
If some falsely believe they are superior to others and act on that out of disdain for them, treating them as villains or sub-human beings, then there can be no shalom.

God wants Shalom.
The people of God who suffered under unjust kings, temple cult leaders and false prophets, as we have record of it in both the Old and New Testaments, were delivered by God out of their enslavement, their exile and their occupation.  God acted on their behalf, having called prophets to proclaim the injustices and sending those who would help deliver them.

People falsely create "places" of shalom for themselves, far from the plight of those they have exploited and oppressed in order to have more for themselves.  They wall themselves into compounds and communities.  They move great distances from the squalor that they have created by inequitable treatments of others.  They commute past those they have held down, back and out so that they and their children could have much more than they will ever need.  They ignore the conditions of those who will never have enough to have Shalom because of their immoral, unconscionable and unscrupulous lifestyles built on the destruction of others.

It was true of old and it is true now.
Isaiah prophesied of a great turning around by God because of the oppression of the poor.
The Gospels tell of Jesus' message of hope for a people occupied and oppressed by Rome, in collusion with the Temple cult leaders and king of that time and place.
The message is the same.  God does not like it and God will turn it around.

So, Paul had it right.
If we want peace, shalom for all humanity, we must "pursue then things that make for peace and for mutual up-building."  (Romans 14:19)  The divisions that WE have created are not honored by God.  The excuses WE have made for treating others shamefully are not honored by God.  The justifications we have manufactured for our elevation at the expense of others around us are not recognized by God.  God wants shalom, for all of God's children and not just some.  If we are working anything that does not bring about well-being, completeness and wholeness for ALL, then we are not living within God's will.

I pray that this is the advent of peace.  We have had a lack of shalom for all people for far too long.
Let us ALL pursue the things that make for shalom, exposing the works of darkness that would withhold it from some of our sisters and brothers, children of God.  Let us demand it, speaking truth to power and living the Good News of Agape Love as Jesus commanded, which when lived ultimately brings shalom to all around us in the world.

Let this be the Advent Season of Peace... when the restoration of Shalom to all is begun.

Pastor Jamie