Hey everyone! First of all I want to thank you all for all the wonderful comments on my last post. It was so encouraging to hear from all of you, and I am truly blessed to have your support.
I want to share with all of you the focus of my devotions today. Many of the people reading this blog are coming from my home church (Baker Memorial UMC) . At BMUMC, we start every worship by saying “Peace be with you” “and also with you” to each other. Today the Lord led me to a discovery of how holy those words are.
I read through Ephesians chapter 4 and absolutely fell in love. This chapter discusses unity in the church, and how to sustain unity in the Body of Christ. Without unity, there is no Body of Christ. This chapter of Ephesians calls the church higher into love for Jesus and for one another. Paul says “I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, BEG you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1). The church is called higher every day to love each other through humility, gentleness, patience, understanding, and peace (Ephesians 4:2-3). “Peace be with you” “and also with you” is not just a greeting. It is a commitment to unity. “Peace be with you” is a promise to treat each other with gentleness and humility. “And also with you” is a promise to call each other higher, to encourage each other and hold each other in the peace of the Lord.
Give peace to one another, and in each other you receive peace.
Peace be with you!
