I would note that peace is not the absence of conflict. Peace is the profound awareness that God is sovereign. He rules and reigns. I am one of his children.
This time of year, I find myself looking back not just at the last year but at a lot of things. Looking back is a dangerous thing. You can romanticize the past. Remember only the good stuff, and forget the challenges, obstacles, and heartache. Or, dwell only on the mistakes and the failures. A healthy, honest look back is both. I don’t want to rewrite my past either positively or negatively. I want to be able to look back and learn and grow.
Reflecting on this passage, we see that Christ's love is immeasurable and all-encompassing, reaching every part of our lives. When we truly experience this love, it transforms us from the inside out and empowers us to live with greater faith and compassion. The roots provide nourishment. The roots sustain the tree during drought.
The table. The Table represents so many things in my life. Many great memories are made around a table. Sitting around talking about life. Living. Hurts. Successes. Hopes. And dreams. For me, the table is a sacred space. Not because of the wood, the finish, or the food that sits on it. It is sacred when people, when family, sit around it and share their hearts, their dreams, and when love is given to each other. We celebrate our commonality. We celebrate that we are family. We celebrate that all of us are created in the image and the likeness of God. We celebrate our personhood. We celebrate each other. I celebrate that I get to be part of this incredible group of people called my family.
Paul is writing to the church in Rome. He has not yet been there. But the plan was to eventually not just visit Rome but to set up a base of operation there and continue the westward move of the gospel. In Romans Paul is laying out the truths of the gospel. He is unpacking the doctrine sin, justification, redemption, and the list goes on. Romans 8 is something of a transition in Paul’s thought.
The psalmist is saying good habits can take you to good places. And not just take you there but can help you put down good habits deep into the soil of God's redeeming love and no matter what season of life you find yourself in you will prosper in the things of God.
Paul is writing a word of correction to the church at Corinth. Paul launched the church years earlier. He led them for several years, and then he moved on to plant some other churches. Now the church is in turmoil. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians is an attempt to bring correction and order back to the church.
Today I write a devotion of a different sort. Usually, I start my time here with a Scripture. Then an explanation of context. Then an application of some kind. Today I begin with some thoughts that I have about life. My life.