Countdown to Pentecost - Day 3 of 9 - PEACE

The Fruit of the Spirit is all too often seen as some sort of Christian spotters list, or a bingo card: how many fruits do you have? We proclaim some Christians more 'Christian' because they display more of the fruits; indeed, on occasion we exempt ourselves from occasional fruits due to some character flaw, or worse still, a besestting sin. I'm sure I used to consider Self-control beyond my grasp.


The truth is that Paul describes the work of the Spirit as producing Fruit. Not Fruits, but fruit. This may seem like a semantic point (one made to me once after I had preached) but actually it's a point worth making.


We are one tree. We are rooted in Jesus alone, so it stands to reason that this one tree bears much (albeit) differing fruit.


The Spirit seeks to develop in us a Christian character. I think it is worth saying that our character does change. However, when people describe us they will talk about what characterises us - our personality, our habits, our outlook and perspective, our attitudes, as well as physical traits and achievements. So when the Spirit comes into our life, He intends that those around us will see all nine fruits - not five or six, or seven if we're lucky!

So on this third day we come to Peace. We can see peace in our lives in three ways: past, present and future. Before we consider these three aspects of the work of peace, we should pause to think about the myriad ways we are not at peace.

There is firstly, a sense that without peace in our hearts we are deeply unsettled, somehow incomplete and fractured. The sin in our lives makes us feel disjointed - perhaps at war with ourselves. We look out on a world wracked with war and violence, where sworn enemies never allow themselves to not think about hating another. So peace is about an absence of war.

Peace is also an absence of confusion or disorder. We look at our daily lives and sense the frantic energy that is often expended to keep our lives 'in order'...the bills, the meetings, the food and meals, the trips, the holidays, the savings, the poorly relatives, and on it goes. We get to the end of each day and wonder where all the time went - we feel incapable of pausing and enjoying the moment.

Peace then brings us both freedom from both war and disorder.

In terms of our past, we see peace in the forgiveness wrought for us. Without the work of Christ we would remain enemies of God. By his cross we are made friends of God - we are at peace with him. This forgiveness also requires a sense of 'letting go'; letting go of the guilt that clings, but also we are called to forgive in turn. The Spirit comes to free us from the bitterness that we cling to as we fail to forgive the long remembered offence.


In our present, we see peace in the daily sense of order in our life, the way we seek right relations with those around us (peacemakers).


We see peace in our attitude to the future. We can confidently, and joyfully, trust that God has a plan for our future.

So as we pause to meditate on the Spirit's benefits, we should look closely and confess where we fail to rely on the Spirit to bring peace. Maybe the following questions may help:
- Am I continually resentful and bitter toward another person, despite knowing I am forgiven and called to forgive?
- Are there people with whom I am at war?
- How is my emotional, mental and spiritual state?
- Does my life look ordered?
- Does the lack of order cause me to worry unneccessarily?
- With regard to money, am I budgeting, or planning my finances?

"The peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7)

Response to THINK

Another interesting question from THINK: what helps you feel close to God?

I guess my immediate response is to suggest that 'feeling' close to God is a misleading pursuit. We are not about feelings, for this implies that happiness is a core element of our faith. The truth should be that our secure and certain standing in Christ, based on his cross, and the promise of eternal life leads to a life of hope and peace, part of the fruit of the spirit. We are marked as deep people able to face the unpleasantness of life.

However, the certainty of life eternal, and the truth of God's love for me does, I think, require an emotional response. Every day I get consumed with the desire to ensure people like me. It deeply affects my ability to make decisions, some which need to be tough. I am so worried about what people think I often pretend to be someone I'm not. So as I reflect on closeness to God, I wonder whether I would feel closer if I spent more time reflecting on the truth of the gospel, particularly reflecting on God's feelings toward me, how he sees me.

I suppose too that closeness is about proximity. When do I draw close to God?

In worship, certainly, I am more aware of his presence. In part as I'm thinking about Him, which makes me remember his presence, which in truth hasn't left me at any point. Sometimes, I hear people disregarding worship as somehow self-serving. I understand the anxiety. Some churches pursue a style of worship which exalts the experience to such a degree as to lose sight of God, and it becomes about the feeling of worship, not the discipline of worshipping God himself. True worship engages with spirit and truth (John 4). It should be enabled by God (Spirit) and focused on God (truth), not our petty emotions.

Worship is vital, it plugs us into God and as such is about drawing close. And this is all the more important when our daily lives are so fractured and disconnected. Worship makes me 'see' God, much like Isaiah did in person (Isa 6). When we see God there is that inevitable sense of unworthiness - leading to the promise of forgiveness.

Closeness to God requires us to know Him and then know ourselves, which I then see as a command to serve others. This service is not about browny-points, but helping those around us also know Him and themselves.

I think I'm incredibly privileged in my role as Chaplain, for I can do precisely these two things. I can help articulate what the God I worship is like, who he is, but I also get to hold up a mirror to the organisation and individuals, and ask the question - who are you? What are you like? What words can we use to articulate what our nature is like? Where there is creativity and beauty, intellect and insight - where are these from? But also, where there is ugliness, racism, hatred and unloveliness - where are these from?

I pray that I spend more time seeking opportunities to remember God's permanent immanence, while also pointing to him more in my life.