Calmer than the sky
Far away so blue
Land of living God
Grant your peace on earth

We can feel you move
And cannot stay the same
The winds are blowing strong
God of heaven come

Breathe peace
Breathe your peace on us
So we might breathe you deep
Breathe peace
Breathe your peace on us
The land of the living God

If we are in the way
Move us to the side
God forgive our wrongs
Rest your hands on us

All the world is yours
Let us not forget
It was you who bore the cross
--R. Seay

Peace. In times like these, there's no doubt that peace is much needed, but it seems to be scarcely sought with earnest. Living in Waco, TX, I see my share of pro-Bush, pro-War supporters. On the flipside, there's a good number of anti-war persons who make their voice heard. I find my head spinning more and more as the tension seems to grow daily! Where do we go from here? Those in favor of war use the desire for the establishment of peace as part of their justification, while those against war stand on the argument that war brings not peace but destruction and distrust.

My own views are irrelevant at this point. For right now, all I want is peace. And I'm not talking about the absence of struggle that we so often define peace as being. Regardless of whether or not we go to war, there will always be struggle. I'm talking about the peace that Frederick Buechner describes as being "the presence of love."

It is the same love that covers a multitude of sins. The same love that is driven by self-sacrifice and humility. The same love that is defined by both the turning of the other cheek as well as the confronting of those who wish to disgrace God's temple. It is that very love that looked on the lost and ruined condition of all humanity and rejected the idea of giving up on it. Rather, this love gallantly rode into earth as the Prince of Peace....as a defenseless Jewish infant in a stable.

So is it on this love that we finally figure out peace? I would say yes....YES!

It is with this declaration that I encourage you with the lyrics posted at the beginning of this entry:

Lord,if we are in the way, move us to the side. Remind us that all the world is yours. Its our hope that we can feel you move and cannot stay the same. God of heaven come! Breathe peace. Breathe Your peace on us.


Peace for the nations,