Deus Misereatur

  (The following was what I wrote to my congregation today - 9 August 2023) Yesterday in my morning Bible reading, I was in John 14. I ended up spending some time pondering v.27. Our Lord was giving final words to his disciples not too many hours before he was arrested, tried, and crucified. He had just promised that they would receive the paraklete , the helper/counselor/comforter (v.25-26), and then said:   “ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid .”   “ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you . ” Normally we hear the word “peace” and think that means the absence of conflict. But as is clear in John 13-17, and the fact our Lord is about to be arrested, tried and slaughtered, that can’t be the case. Conflict will continue all around God’s people, and sometimes it will be aimed at God’s people. That’s what makes our Lord’s words here so important. H...

  (A prayer-reflection from my morning devotions) Lord Jesus, you did not come to bring peace to the world. Rather, as an act of judgment you came to divide the world between the dying and doomed from the living and loyal (Luke 12:49-53). Lord, may your work be accomplished. And yet, because you are our peace, you make those who are ethnically divided one new man and have broken down the dividing wall of hostility in your flesh (Ephesians 2:14). Lord, may your work be accomplished! O God of peace, be with us all (Romans 15:33; Philippians 4:9). O God of peace, crush Satan under our feet (Romans 16:20). O God of peace, sanctify us completely - body, soul, spirit - keeping us blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. You who are faithful will surely do it (1 Thessalonians 5:23)! O God of peace, who brought up again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep: by the blood of the eternal covenant equip us with everything good that we may do your will, working...