What is God's peace?

Scripture: Acts 16:9-15  •  Psalm 67  •  Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5  •  John 14:23-29 or John 5:1-9

What is God's peace, the peace Jesus gives us? See The Rev. Rick Morley's "a peace of marvel - a reflection on John 14:27.  In these days of mindless, cowardly violence inflicted on innocents, can we find Serenity in Chaos (by The Rev. Steve Goodier)?

Reflecting on John 5:1-9, Kyle Childress in "Courage to be Whole" asks "Do we fear the cure more than the illness?" Bill Coffin said that if it is hell to be guilty, it’s certainly scarier to be responsible – response-able – able to respond to God’s call, able to respond to the word and love of Jesus. When we cease being a victim – “I can’t get to the water Jesus; there’s always someone else who gets there first” – and start being responsible then our legs are strong enough for us to walk beside others who are in pain and need help. Our arms are empowered to embrace our enemies and the outcasts. We no longer make excuses; instead we walk forward to new life in Jesus Christ and go to work serving, healing, hoping, and living a life of joy and fullness.

What role, if any, does hospitality have to do with God's peace? In "Mi Casa Es Su Casa,"The Rev. Larry Patten says we can learn a lot from Lydia, the first European woman to be baptized, who said to Paul "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home."

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference."

- The Serenity Prayer

   Reinhold Niebuhr