December 9, 2020
If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. – Romans 12:18
Advent Lighting – Light the first two candles of advent, hope and peace.
The husband and wife song writing team of Sy Miller and Jill Jackson-Miller, in 1955, were tasked to compose a piece of music for a newly formed choir retreat held in the mountains of California. The group, now known as the International Children’s Choir, was formed of a group of selected teenager. The young people were purposefully selected from different religious, racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds, brought together to experiment with creating understanding and friendship through education, discussion groups, and living and working together in a camp situation. In his own words, this is what Sy Miller wrote about what happened:
“One summer evening in 1955, a group of 180 teenagers of all races and religions, meeting at a workshop high in the California mountains locked arms, formed a circle and sang a song of peace. They felt that singing the song, with its simple basic sentiment – 'Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me,' helped to create a climate for world peace and understanding.”
The song, Let there be Peace on Earth, has gone on to inspire peace in many places ever since that summer in 1955. We may not always see peace active in our world, but there are those who wish to inspire it, who desire to have it, and would love to see peace everywhere. Yet, we all know that peace must start with ‘me.’
In Paul’s letter to the Roman church, they don’t know peace in their world either, they have conflicts about the mixing of Jews and gentiles, they are not at peace with their political powers, they are struggling even to find the peace of a Christian lifestyle. However, they are reminded that peace depends on them. It is not always possible to have peace around us, but when possible, as it depends on us, we can live peaceably with all. Let the peace of Christ live in us today, and let the peace that comes to the earth inspire us to live at peace within, and with all.
Grace & Peace,
Sam