The Peaceful

"It put a stamp on the violence."

THE VIOLENT see the peaceful as weak, but it takes far more strength to not react, not retaliate. Self-control is God’s (Galatians 5:23). Peace and patience, endurance, are God’s, and outside of Him you will not find them. Only more violence.

You won’t find Truth either (John 14:6). Just lies and deception and excuses. Selfishness.

I would like to correct something, though. It has been said suicide is selfish. We must stop thinking of it in that way. Suicide is a final act of personal defense, and we must see it always through God’s eyes of mercy and compassion.

There’s no need to preach exceptions to this. This goes to many other topics. Healing. There’s no need to preach “what if it doesn’t work” or “just in case” scenarios. Marriage. We shouldn’t preach it at all, past Ephesians 5 and its emphasis on Christ. This comes from the Holy Spirit who wants these mentioned here. If you seek Him on teaching these topics, He will say, “Don’t.”

He will also tell you, when it comes to facing violence, to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9). To love your enemies (Matthew 5:44). If you’d experienced the size, the height and depth of His love, this would not be a problem. You would not struggle at all. We preach struggle to love others when we should seek to know His love more. When you know Him, love is like breathing. And staying silent, not making a public noise, easy. Our flesh and carnal mind, to use popular terms, want to make an outcry. God is a whisper.

He is the secret place (Matthew 6:4).

Matthew 5:48 says to be like our Father in heaven. Then Matthew 6 gives a list of things not to do in public, for attention’s sake in order to be seen. Because that’s how He is. Our giving, our prayers, our fasting are three. It follows by telling us how to pray, and the Lord’s Prayer, as it is called, is an excellent prayer. We must see it as for that hour, however. It is Jesus saying what He’d come to do. The chapter also assures us the Father sees us, and we shouldn’t be afraid. He knows our needs – spiritual, mental, and physical.

“For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.” (Matthew 6:32)

Knowing Him eliminates fear. There is nothing to be afraid of. He is not the spirit of fear, 2 Timothy 1:7, but the Spirit of love, of resurrection power, and a sound mind. He has our mental needs in His care. This is not said enough, but anger which leads to violence is healed when you know Him. And you know Him by worshipping all day, every minute of the day. Make your every action, your every experience, worship. Consider Him in all you do (Hebrews 12:3). If you don’t desire this, ask Him to give you the desire. Then know He loves you for you and never works to change you into who you are not.

I love that I don’t have to explain things to Him. He knows my every thought and intent and gets me. I love that when I explode, He doesn’t retreat or turn His gaze. This has been said by some, but His love for you would cause Him to die for you all over again. Except, His work is done in perfection, and there’s no need.

His work is done, far over and above all we have ever asked in the church or thought in our studies. It put a stamp on the violence. What God promised Noah after the flood, that there would never be a need for one again, is completed in the work of Jesus Christ. Who did, without violence, without defense, what makes Him Savior for whosoever. Eternal life is the result.

“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com