Dear Friends of Longview Chapel,
Blessed Advent to you! Have you been experiencing Christ’s presence and peace? Perhaps even “out of the blue,” perhaps even in the midst of the noisiness of life?
As I think of Bible stories this week where God and/or Christ showed up “out of the blue” and brought peace, I think about Zacchaeus. His life as a tax collector was full of turmoil and, I am guessing, great loneliness. Although he had a lot of money, he did not have many friends, nor did he have a close relationship with God. I imagine he felt very little, if any, inner peace. When Zacchaeus thought he was just getting a look at this Jesus everyone was talking about, he was shocked when “out of the blue,” Jesus asked him to come down and take Jesus to his house to eat and stay. There was something about the way Jesus looked at him and honored him by choosing to go to his house that must have brought Zacchaeus a sense of worth and peace that he had not known before. So much so that before Jesus ever asked him to change anything, Zacchaeus takes a huge turn in his life and transforms all that he has valued. He said, “Look, Lord! Here and now, I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” What a huge shift!
When we find peace in ourselves, we also often find the Spirit there renewing and transforming to free us from things that are holding us back from pursuing God. Peace, a gift from God we see living in and through Jesus’ life. Peace, a gift to inspire us to share it.
How has God shown up and how is God showing up “out of the blue” in your life to bring peace?
May our eyes, ears and hearts be open wide to Christ’s presence.
Pastor Donna