To be glad of life, because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars; to be satisfied with your possessions, but not contented with yourself until you have made the best of them; to despise nothing in the world except falsehood and meanness, and to fear nothing except cowardice; to be governed by your admirations rather than by your disgusts; to covet nothing that is your neighbor's except his kindness of heart and gentleness of manners; to think seldom of your enemies, often of your friends, and every day of Christ; and to spend as much time as you can, with body and with spirit, these are little guideposts on the footpath to peace.
Henry Van Dyke (1852--1933, American protestant clergyman and writer)
Romans 15:33 (HCSB)
The God of peace be with all of you. Amen.
It is easy to pass by this ending verse and not see what Paul is communicating to those he loves, and has taken the time to write to. I mean, come on, do you remember the letter writing days, it took a lot to make us sit down and write our thoughts on a piece of paper to someone. It was a task that my Grandmother took seriously though, and she did it often.
I still have those words, written in her own defining hand that, to this day, still brings me encouragement, peace and good memories. This small verse is wrapping up all that Paul has said in the whole of chapter 15, and beginning the start of the final chapter of this letter to the Romans. What was his whole purpose of this letter? It was peace, for everyone.
So how do we keep this peace, look at Paul’s ending of 2 Cor 13:11-12, “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be restored, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.” Here are the keys, rejoicing, restoring and encouraging each other, and being of the same mind, will bring peace. It will cause all of the saints to rejoice with us…God’s Blessings.
Pastor William
Henry Van Dyke (1852--1933, American protestant clergyman and writer)
Romans 15:33 (HCSB)
The God of peace be with all of you. Amen.
It is easy to pass by this ending verse and not see what Paul is communicating to those he loves, and has taken the time to write to. I mean, come on, do you remember the letter writing days, it took a lot to make us sit down and write our thoughts on a piece of paper to someone. It was a task that my Grandmother took seriously though, and she did it often.
I still have those words, written in her own defining hand that, to this day, still brings me encouragement, peace and good memories. This small verse is wrapping up all that Paul has said in the whole of chapter 15, and beginning the start of the final chapter of this letter to the Romans. What was his whole purpose of this letter? It was peace, for everyone.
So how do we keep this peace, look at Paul’s ending of 2 Cor 13:11-12, “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be restored, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.” Here are the keys, rejoicing, restoring and encouraging each other, and being of the same mind, will bring peace. It will cause all of the saints to rejoice with us…God’s Blessings.
Pastor William
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