Lent 5, Romans—The Spirit of God dwelling in you
You are in the Spirit,
since the Spirit of God dwells in you…
Rom 8.9
As Christians, we naturally wonder what God would want from
us in a given situation. What would be pleasing to God? We often think we have
to create something new, but sometimes it’s important to look around us and see
where God is already at work in the world and join in. Pause—Where have you seen
God’s spirit
alive in your own world today?
One of the sure signs of God’s spirit at work is where people
seek reconciliation.
In Palestine/Israel, in the midst of such troubles and
suffering, mighty acts of reconciliation are happening every day. Suffering
people—Jews, Muslims, Christians, Israelis and Palestinians—are building
bridges, listening to one another’s stories, and forging deep bonds of
understanding, symbolically tearing down the wall that is being built to divide
them.
One such family lost their daughter, granddaughter, niece,
in a suicide attack in Jerusalem in 1997. This family had long been peace
activists, from the early days of the country, when the mother refused to live
in a Palestinian home that was offered to them. The Peled family has along
history of Zionist commitment and sacrifice for the building up of Israel, and also
a strong tradition of getting to know the Arabs who lived on the land before
them.
 |
| Miko and Nurit |
When Nurit Peled-Elhanan lost her daughter Smadar to the suicide
bomber, she consoled herself by speaking out against the occupation and the
violence it creates. She and her husband Rami reached out to Palestinians who
had also lost loved ones. Her brother Miko, living in California, saw their
devotion to reconciliation had helped to heal their wounded hearts, and he
began his own journey of getting to know Palestinians.
His book, The Generals
Son, tells their family’s story and his own transformation into a peace
activist.
Miko Peled will be in Denver this weekend:
- Sunday, April 6, 3:30 pm
- at Augustana Lutheran Church, 5000 E Alameda, Denver
Watch Nurit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBkWmeebn2w
Gracious God, we thank
you for your son, who showed us the world you desire for us. Lead us to those
places where you are at work in the world, bringing peace and reconciliation.
Give us the courage to join in and the strength to endure. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment