The Work of Peace

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:2-3

Division seems to be one of the constants of the human condition. Choose almost any topic from A to Z, and people will be firmly planted on opposite sides of the middle ground. We often find ourselves drawn toward conflict, as if disagreement itself offers a strange kind of satisfaction. Yet this pull leads us away from the unity God longs for—a unity rooted not in sameness, but in shared identity as God’s beloved.

When God came to us in Jesus, it was to restore the wholeness we could never create on our own. Christ reopened the way to the harmony that existed in the Garden before the fall—a harmony grounded in God’s presence, not human achievement. Living into this peace means allowing the Spirit to reshape what our human nature cannot: replacing arrogance with humility, harshness with gentleness, impatience with compassion. And it means remembering that the person across any divide bears the same divine image we do—an image untouched by our disagreements.

God of unity and grace, draw us into the peace You desire for Your people. Where our instincts divide, let Your Spirit transform. Where our words wound, let Your love heal. Teach us to see Your image in every person and to walk gently in a fractured world. Shape our hearts so that our lives reflect the reconciling love of Christ. Amen

Peace & Grace,

Pastor Tim