Grace to you and peace....
I love that Paul pens his letters starting with grace and peace...then he goes on to admonish, encourage, advise, build up the readers from the first people to read the letters down through the ages to now...me...
God’s Word is like that...timeless...gracious...peace giving...unity building...saving...redeeming...forgiving...
I keep seeing signs, ads for this time of world unrest, pandemic...” we will get through this together apart”....
Now we are entering a new phase...really getting back together...in businesses, malls, families, churches, parks...slowly pacing into a new normalcy...new trusts, new sides of relationships...new beginnings...
How will we fare? Some have turned to anger, others judgment, while others have no care in the world but theirs or their way...
We can instead enter with grace and peace...caring for the needs and feelings of others...encouraging, building up...putting our “rights and freedoms “ aside ...whether wearing masks in public or not...social distancing or not...
Majoring on the majors as we congregate together again...
In churches, the age old “joke” has been that we divide over color of carpets, types of music...now we may divide over social distancing and masks...none of those should divide...we need to come together in worship, centering on the life giving gospel...blessing those around us with grace and peace...not causing any to stumble...not standing in judgment of one way to congregate or another...
But, rejoicing in the Word...life in Christ...encourage, build up, bear with, love one another...
Thank YOU that You grant us grace and peace...help us to let that shine through...help us be a reflection of You...othering hope to others...in turn offering grace and peace to those around us....
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe.
It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
Psalm 133:1-3
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.
Acts 11:23
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:3
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
2 Corinthians 13:14
Galatians 1:3-5
Songs...
- thrive lyrics casting crowns, YouTube...
- Bind us together...John Keyes
Bind us together, Lord, bind us together
With cords that cannot be broken.
Bind us together, Lord, bind us together, Lord,
Bind us together in love.
There is only one God, there is only one King,
There is only one Body, that is why we sing:
Though there are many branches, there is only one vine,
We are one in Christ Jesus, that is why we sing:
One with Christ in his death that, as one, we might rise.
So we are but one people, that is why we sing:
There is only one table, Christ alone is our host.
He invites us together, that is why we sing:
- Another old 1960’s song speaks of unity...
JASON UPTON
They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love Lyrics
We are one in the Spirit
We are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit
We are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity
May one day be restored
And they'll know we are Christians
By our love, By our love
Yes, they'll know we are Christians
By our love
We will walk with each other
We will walk hand in hand
We will walk with each other
We will walk hand in hand
And together we'll spread the news
That God is in our land
And they'll know we are Christians
By our love, By our love
Yes, they'll know we are Christians
By our love
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