Musings on 1 Peter (5:12-14)

12-14: Peter has written a letter. A letter for a suffering Church. A letter of encouragement and hope. His aim has been to reveal the true grace of God, and to build us up in it. We too are pilgrims dispersed in a land that is not our home. We too know trials and hardships. As with the exiled Jews in Babylon, we are called to seek the welfare of our cities, to set roots down, to live, work and play in the homes and places God has given each of us. Our lives should be full and rich, with traditions of joy and long seasons of laughter. Our lives should always be pointing outward, seeking to engage others with the joy of our salvation. Our lives are no longer our own, and in this we find peace. Peace in every trial, peace in every shadowed valley. Peace because the One to whom our lives do belong is the Author of all things. In Him we rest. In Him we are being transformed, as a community, into a glorious citadel. We are the bricks and living stones that make up the walls, and battlements. At times this hurts. Especially as dirt and straw must be scraped off for the stone to fit. But we are in the hands of the Master mason. And we take comfort knowing that whatever it is He is doing, however long it takes, and however much it may hurt, the final product will be beautiful. This is our peace. This is what all our toasts and odes and stories point to. As a compass points north, so our lives point to beauty. Every aspect of our nature is being transformed into loveliness. Therefore stand firm, knowing the One whose hands you are in.
As Peter sends his final greetings, he sends peace. This should be the make up of all our final words as well. Peace. If God sits on His throne, then we can have peace. Justice is not an obscure maybe. There will be justice. Every wrong will be made right, every hurtful word will be reckoned for, every debt will be paid, every tear will be dried. We believe these things to be true. We show a desperately discouraged and despairing world that these things are indeed true, by our peace. This peace is beyond understanding. This peace guards our hearts and our minds. This peace is woven into the very structure of our home. For our home is found in the Prince of Peace. Our home is Jesus.