Thoughts which carry this broken pastor to Jesus, and to the cross

“He will not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick, until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope.”” (Matthew 12:20–21, NET)

“So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing his father had given to his brother. Esau said privately, “The time of mourning for my father is near; then I will kill my brother Jacob!”” (Genesis 27:41, NET)

“But Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, hugged his neck, and kissed him. Then they both wept.” (Genesis 33:4, NET)

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May those who love her prosper! May there be peace inside your defenses, and prosperity inside your fortresses!” (Psalm 122:6–7, NET)

“Work to see that the city where I sent you as exiles enjoys peace and prosperity. Pray to the LORD for it. For as it prospers you will prosper.’” (Jeremiah 29:7, NET)

“First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanks be offered on behalf of all people,even for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. Such prayer for all is good and welcomed before God our Savior, since he wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1–4, NET)

A pastor tweets about Democrats and those who hates Israel as if they were demonic,

A friend swears that women have to throw off patriachy, 

A young person wears the colors of one side of the war, as they go onto a campus that is divided in its opinion.

Catholics mock Protestants and say they are going to hell, protestants respond with as much hatred, justifying their actions.

Part of me wants to declare this modern society we live in worse than Nineveh, and I understand the lament as Noah looked out over the broken world. Or Jesus to come back, for these people above aren’t the extremists, yet, but they are all urging a division that is unnecessary, and contrary to other beliefs they hold dear.

And the division, whether they are in the right, or in error, is not only wrong, it is deadly spiritually. It is sin at the level of killing souls far faster than the bodies stack up.

Esau and Jacob are the prime examples of division that people hold out, even noting that God played favorites. One brother cheated the other, the other vowed death on the cheater. Their descendants still are at war in what we ironically call the Holy Land.

And in the middle of the fights, even as people try to justify the violence of their side while condemning their brothers, the scripture notices that Esau ran to meet Jacob, the older brother embracing the prodigal! And they both wept for the 20 years wasted. No one wants to remember their reconciliation, a miracle of God.  (note – those wanting to quote Romans 9:13- please see the tense of the verb)

From individual and tribal division we go to that of countries.

Yes we are to pray and work for the peace of Jerusalem, for the people descended from Abraham through Jacob. But the same requirement of working for the best (think cHesed/agape love) and praying that God’s blessing would be poured out – the same thing- Jeremiah tells to people of Israel to do for Babylon (think modern Iran AND Iraq) Pray for both–work for both to prosper–for they are of the same flesh and blood – and God grieves over the death of any that are broken away from His family.

I could go on with stories of reconciliation, Peter and Paul come to mind, for even after their conversions, they still had a conflict or two!

My temptation has to be overcome as well, for part of me desires to take all who are in conflict and hit them with Romans 16:17, and walk away from them all. But then, where would my faith be? It would be so easy to move away, find a nice pond to live on in upstate New Hampshire, and go off the grid…but then I would miss out on seeing God redeem the unredeemable, reconcile those who would rather choose mutual assured destruction, and basically overwhelm us with His love.

For He won’t quench that in us, and His desire is clear for us – to reconcile us all in Him.