No sweeter word

Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the Lord; and I will heal them. (Isaiah 57:19)

There is no sweeter word in our language than peace, and no experience that seems more elusive. Efforts to bring peace to our hearts fail because peace is not ours to give.

Peace is the gift of being enveloped in the light of Eternal Love, which is to say the Love God is.

Peace, Peace, to those far and near, Isaiah proclaimed to those who dwelt in desolation. Their spirits fainting, God seemed to have turned away from them. 

We know the feeling. The light of love fades, hope flees and our barren hearts wander in halls of sadness, lost and alone.

But God who dwells in realms unreachable is also near, ready to appear as we pray our aching hearts and discover God’s great love amid our humble tears.

Feeling again the warmth of the divine heart, we know ... God’s deepest desire is to speak peace to the needy and broken places within us.

So say it now, Peace.

Peace ... to every far part of your heart, every corner embraced in loving light.

David L. Miller

 

Within the gaze

Now [Jesus] was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are set free from your ailment.’  (Luke 13:10-12)

We see ourselves in Jesus’ eyes as he watches the bent woman shuffling across the cobblestones.

She says nothing but longs for a life she cannot have. I suspect that is why she came to the synagogue the day Jesus was there, hoping for healing and release.

Still, she could not have known what was in Jesus’ eyes. She could not have known he would see and touch her with a healing hand, which irritated the synagogue leader who imagined good order is more important than divine compassion.

For that is what is in Jesus’ eyes, for each of us.

We live encompassed within the compassionate gaze of an Everlasting Love, who reaches out to enfold us in Love’s healing presence.

Not everything gets healed in this life. We all remain more than a little stooped and bent. Tragedy and sorrow persist, and even the touch of divine love leaves us hungry for more.

But take a moment. Imagine his eyes ... on you. Now, say his name, Jesus. Healing starts here.

David L. Miller