Today, as promised, guest post from Jane Gilbert, from Compelling Grace blog…
“The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Luke 1:28
I had the privilege of spending the weekend with Elizabeth Turnage where we spent an intensive weekend looking at God’s Story of grace, how it interprets all the stories of our lives, and how our stories help to tell that big, beautiful, glorious Story. Shalom, peace, is the description of every diverse aspect of life (people, environment, dreams, relationships, activities, etc.) existing in perfect harmony and being enjoyed. We say we exist to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, but He has to ask us through Paul, more than on one occasion, ‘What has happened to all your joy?’
So I have gotten to spend a weekend looking at broken shalom and hoping for the restoration of a fulfilled shalom beyond any tastes of it I had before I noticed it was broken. I’m not going to attempt to re-create nor cover all the varied thoughts from this exploration. But here is what stuck with me about my elusive shalom: I am worried and upset about many things (the uncleaned house upon my return, the desire to have a thoughtfully engaging summer for my children, the need to create order among all my papers, to work hard to serve and protect our little church, to connect with friends I’ve missed throughout the year, and so on…). But as He calls me out of the kitchen to sit with Him, Jesus gently reminds me that He has not asked me to “make the most of the moment”, because He already has. He has not put the burden of shaping my children into His image on me but upon Himself. He has not asked me to connect with every person I like or would like to know more, just to love those He has set before me and will set before me in the course of the days He designs for me.”
To read the rest, visit www.compellinggrace.blogspot.com
