God is with us and we with him: that is peace

God is with us and we with him: that is peace.

It is accomplished through the work of Christ, in his birth, in his death, in his resurrection, in his ascension, and in his sending of the Spirit.

It is accomplished in his birth as he entered the world, took on flesh and dwelled among us.

It is accomplished as he took on mortality, and in his death witnessed to the truth and atoned for the sins of all people.

The peace of God is accomplished in his resurrection, as Christ rose again on Easter, victorious over death, bestowing life on all.

It is accomplished in his ascension, as he ascended to the seat of power at the right hand of the Father.

It is accomplished as he breathed holy Spirit on his disciples, that we might bear witness to the truth and become the messengers of the good news.

All nations, all peoples, will share in the covenant promise. The way to life is through trust in God and in Christ. That is where the dead reside: secure and at peace - in the presence of the living God, the One in whom they put their trust, the one in whom we put our hope.

God has promised us: he says, I will be your God and you will be my people. I will give you the water of life from its source: and I will provide for you as from a font of living water, eternal life, of the new creation, beyond the reach of death.

He invites us to live life in the Spirit – to life continuously flowing from its source in God, like a never-ending spring flowing forth from the heart of God.

All are welcome at this spring. All are welcome in the heart of God. All people will share in the covenant-promise of God. All will be at peace. All will be under the mercy, in the presence of the Lord.

The invitation is there before us.

In faith we can take hold of hope, live into the promise, and know that God himself welcomes us as his own beloved children.

Adapted from: https://sermonoats.blogspot.com/search/label/Thelma%20de%20Long Saturday, January 28, 2012.

https://tucson.com/god-is-with-us-and-we-with-him-that-is-peace/article_23a3c9d7-59a4-565c-a5b7-0ba7027c02ed.html (January 31, 2021).