10-6-25<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Readers of this weekly message know that I married about six months ago; and perhaps wondered why I have not posted photos or stories of our honeymoon. I had been gifted with an important book to write; Mickey\u2019s workload exploded; and her son announced he wanted to get married himself, and at our house which often serves as a beautiful wedding venue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So we decided to postpone the European wedding tour (Ireland, Germany, France, and Italy) till the Fall; now the Spring. It didn\u2019t seem fair, and I might not live till then, so last week we had a half-honeymoon on Mackinac Island in northern Michigan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reviewers have called Mackinac Island one of the most stunning getaway spots in America. (What a great job \u2013 visiting and reviewing America\u2019s stunning getaway spots!) Anyway, we planned to see Fall colors on the island where no cars are allowed, only horse carriages and bicycles. The Grand Hotel is a magnificent Victorian manse where you are required to dress for dinner, and rocking chairs line the veranda that faces the sunset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMackinac,\u201d I learned, is pronounced \u201cmackinaw\u201d; it has no peaches; and evidently is some Indian tribe\u2019s word for \u201cexpensive.\u201d But\u2026 besides romantic, it was peaceful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peaceful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I have realized that peace <\/em>is one of the rarest of commodities in our world; these days, anyway. I mean real peace, not, in our private and home lives, \u201ctime out\u201d or \u201crest\u201d or \u201cvacation.\u201d Somehow peace seems an odd thing to plan and schedule and stop-and-start. Peaceful, that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The same with nations: Peace is not only the absence of war; unrighteousness often fills the vacuum, and such a fraught situation merely postpones conflict. And in any event, many uneasy Peaces produce more tension and angst than do armies confronting each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bible frequently addresses peace. They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, \u2018Peace, peace,\u2019<\/em> we read in Jeremiah 6:14… when there is no peace<\/em>. There are dozens of references to conflicts, friction between nations, and continual plans and reports of hostility; the most famous is You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come <\/em>(Matthew 24:6).<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is not battlefield carnage that exclusively troubles us. We operate at a fast pace that excludes the Calm which ought to be a component of our lives. \u201cAction movies\u201d are most popular around the world. I try to avoid them, but I see trailers \u2013 presumably the best moments to lure us in \u2013 and they are three minutes of carnage, chases, explosions, gunshots, and killing. Kids\u2019 video games matter-of-factly traffic in pursuits, attacks, and deaths. I have noted to my old friends in the comic-book field that every cover, story, and sketch features villains, and heroes too, with clenched teeth and angry brows \u2013 good guys and bad guys ready to run, fly, punch, and maim. Speed, threats, violence, noise, and\u2026 In the Christian context, there is not much armed conflict these days between factions. Serious schisms have plagued the church since the Apostolic Days, and when heresy is blatant, it ought to be addressed. Not by burning people at the stakes, as Catholics practiced on Reformers hundreds of years ago, but by all believers\u2019 solid familiarity with Scripture. There are<\/em> bitter divisions in the church today, however, and we see opponents calling each other Evil and Spawns of the devil. Too many cheeks to turn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This situation grieves me, not because it is undignified nor theologically unsound \u2013 we are all idiots as well as sinners in need of God\u2019s grace \u2013 but because many of these \u201cwars\u201d distract from the message of salvation. Not one person more, or fewer, will gain Heaven over their view of the Rapture, or when the Tribulation will occur, or whether they speak in tongues. These <\/em>wars are more futile than any of humankind\u2019s many senseless battlefield wars throughout history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These \u201cissues\u201d have little to do with whether the \u201clost\u201d can be led to embrace Jesus. Believing He is the Son of God who died for their sins, and was raised to Heaven so that they may be, too, is all that matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What a peaceful Gospel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, Jesus said He came with a sword; that we will have to defend the faith even against family and friends (and a culture) that may oppose Him and hate us. But His overall message was Love. Our job should be to \u201cmake Heaven crowded,\u201d the stated goal of Charlie Kirk. People might be beaten, but seldom persuaded, by a Gospel message presented in confrontational frenzy. Speaking of Charlie (as many, many will for many, many years to come), his style was brilliantly non-confrontational. At events it was characterized by laying his microphone down when he finished speaking, and listening to others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I am afraid to say that many sincere Christians want to share Jesus with others\u2026 and act aggressively like they alone have to \u201cclose the deal.\u201d Sometimes that leads to a fervid delivery that offends. Also\u2026 it can offend the Holy Spirit. Drawing people to repentance and salvation is the reason the Spirit was sent to us. Our job is to plant seeds, not stage-manage the harvest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Christians, we can multi-task: be earnest and rational and loving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can\u2019t we just turn down the volume on life; slow the pace?<\/p>\n\n\n\n